Business Management Training Participants Graduate

NIB’s Business Management Training (BMT), facilitated by University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, completed the fifth, and last, of their one-week training sessions. BMT targets qualified, high-potential employees of NIB and NIB associated agencies who are blind, motivated to succeed in a business setting and have demonstrated leadership potential.

NIB is hosting a graduation dinner and reception for the BMT Class of 2010. The group will also be recognized at the Opportunity Forum June 13-15 in Scottsdale, AZ.

The NIB team is pleased to support the academic achievement of these future managers and leaders.

Members of the BMT Class of 2010 are:

· Andy R. Bacon, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Seattle, WA

· Pat Bishop, South Texas Lighthouse for the Blind, Honolulu, HI

· Eriq Cunningham, Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, Winston-Salem, NC

· Kevin Daniel, Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind, Little Rock, AR

· Chris Flynt, Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, Winston-Salem, NC

· Gene Hubbard, Wiscraft Inc., Milwaukee, WI

· Edita Jablonskyte, National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, VA

· Tanya Jones, ABVI-Goodwill, Rochester, NY

· Chris Ledding, Wiscraft Inc., Milwaukee, WI

· Glenn McCully, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Seattle, WA

· James Michaels, Bosma Enterprises, Indianapolis, IN

· Stephen Mitchell, Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Cincinnati, OH

· John Moore, Horizon Industries, Tyler, TX

· Kathy Morehead, Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, Winston-Salem, NC

· Jamie Musson, Envision Inc., Wichita, KS

· Brian Petraits, Bosma Enterprises, Indianapolis, IN

· Mark Plutschak, Outlook Nebraska Inc., Omaha, NE

· Ted Rios, New York City Industries for the Blind, Brooklyn, NY

· Ramon Rodriguez, National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, VA

· Emeric Rokay, Wiscraft Inc., Milwaukee, WI

· Joyce Smith, Alphapointe Association, Kansas City, MO

· Will Vaughn, National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, VA

· Charles E. Wallace, The Lighthouse for the Blind, St. Louis, MO


For more information, contact Kristen Maines at 703.310.0349 or kmaines@nib.org.

Chairman Ed Towns Breaks Down Bureaucratic Barriers

[photo: left to right: Rick Bland, CEO NYC Industries for the Blind; Rep. Ed Towns;Kevin Lynch, CEO NIB]
Washington, D.C. ­ National Industries for the Blind (NIB) applauds Chairman Ed Towns (D-10th-New York), who recently sent letters to the U.S. Departments of Energy, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security requesting assistance in identifying barriers that may prevent the departments from purchasing qualified products and services from the AbilityOne Program as part of the federal procurement process.

“Creating jobs is one of my highest priorities and providing job opportunities to the blind through the AbilityOne Program is critical to fulfilling that goal. While NIB has made great strides in advancing job opportunities for people who are blind, there is still a great deal to accomplish in order to reduce the number of blind men and women who are currently unemployed. It is my hope that working with various federal agencies, we can define and remove barriers to create additional jobs for people who are blind,” Chairman Towns said.

NIB and its 88 community-based nonprofit agencies are the largest employers for people who are blind. These employees earn their living by providing SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program to the federal government at a net cost savings to the federal taxpayer. Nearly 6,000 individuals who are blind produce products ranging from military uniforms to pens, and provide services such as call center operations and administrative services through the AbilityOne Program.

While NIB has made great strides in advancing job opportunities for people who are blind, there is still much to accomplish, as more than 70 percent of individuals who are blind are still unemployed.
“With Chairman Towns’ leadership, more federal agencies will become aware of the federal procurement requirement to purchase from the AbilityOne Program and make the right choice to help us sustain and create economic independence for people who are blind,” said Kevin Lynch, president and CEO, NIB.

About National Industries for the Blind
At NIB (www.NIB.org), our mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 88 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program (Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program).

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Congressman Walter Jones Receives Prestigious

[picture left to right: Heather Broussard, LAB Communications; Rep. Walter Jones; Shelly Taylor, CEO LAB]Washington, D.C. ­ Representative Walter Jones (R-3rd-North Carolina) was recently named an AbilityOne Champion, in recognition of his efforts creating good paying jobs with excellent benefits for people who are blind. RLCB Inc. CEO Janet Griffey presented the AbilityOne Champion award to Rep. Jones at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 10.

The AbilityOne Champion Award is given by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and its associated nonprofit agencies to honor members of Congress for their commitment to the creation of good paying jobs with excellent benefits for individuals who are blind at a net cost savings to the federal government.

NIB and its 88 community-based nonprofit agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program to the federal government. The program employs nearly 6,000 individuals who are blind, who produce products ranging from military uniforms to pens, and provide services such as call center operations.

“We are so fortunate to have Representative Jones in Congress supporting our actions to create good paying jobs with excellent benefits for people who are blind,” said Griffey. “Congressman Jones understands that the current 70 percent unemployment rate in our community is unacceptable and he is willing to take action. The award honors his continued commitment to employ people who are blind.”

Congressman Walter Jones stated, “I am very pleased to have received this honor from NIB. I have always wanted to help our citizens who have endured challenges and are still eager and willing to work hard and prove themselves when given the opportunity. I was very impressed with the quality of work I saw at the Raleigh Lions Club meeting on February 8. The quality of this work proves that when people are given an opportunity, great things can happen.”

Congressman Rodney Alexander Receives Prestigious AbilityOne Champion Award from the Louisiana Association for the Blind

Washington, D.C. ­ Representative Rodney Alexander (R-5th- Louisiana) was recently named an AbilityOne Champion, in recognition of his efforts to create good paying jobs with excellent benefits for people who are blind. Louisiana Association for the Blind President and CEO Shelly Taylor presented the AbilityOne Champion Award to Rep. Alexander at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 10.

The AbilityOne Champion Award is given by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and its associated nonprofit agencies to honor members of Congress for their commitment to the creation of good paying jobs with excellent benefits for individuals who are blind at a net cost savings to the federal government.

NIB and its 88 community-based nonprofit agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program to the federal government. The program employs nearly 6,000 individuals who are blind, who produce products ranging from military uniforms to pens, and provide services such as call center operations.

"Congressman Alexander clearly understands that the 70 percent unemployment rate among people who are blind is unacceptable,” Taylor said. "We are fortunate to have him in Congress as he is willing to assist us in creating good job opportunities with excellent benefits. This award honors his commitment to increasing economic opportunity and Independence for people who are blind."

Congressman Rodney Alexander stated, "I'm honored to receive this award from NIB. Going forward, I will continue to look for ways to improve the job and career opportunities available for individuals living with disabilities. While great strides have been made, there is still more we can do to expand the employment prospects for those who are blind. I am proud of NIB for calling national attention to this matter and for demonstrating a strong commitment to protecting this important part of America’s workforce.”

Congressman Gregg Harper Receives Prestigious AbilityOne Champion Award from Mississippi Industries for the Blind

Washington, D.C. ­ Representative Gregg Harper (R-3rd- Mississippi) was recently named an AbilityOne Champion, in recognition of his efforts to create good paying jobs with excellent benefits for people who are blind. Mississippi Industries for the Blind Executive Director Mike Chew presented the AbilityOne Champion award to Rep. Harper at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 10.

The AbilityOne Champion Award is given by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and its associated nonprofit agencies to honor members of Congress for their commitment to the creation of good paying jobs with excellent benefits for individuals who are blind at a net cost savings to the federal government.

NIB and its 88 community-based nonprofit agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program to the federal government. The program employs nearly 6,000 individuals who are blind, who produce products ranging from military uniforms to pens, and provide services such as call center operations.

“Congressman Harper has been a steadfast supporter of our efforts here in Mississippi to create good paying jobs with excellent benefits for people who are blind,” said Chew. ”He clearly understands that the high unemployment rate among people who are blind is not acceptable and that action is needed now. This award honors his continued support for NIB's efforts to create good paying job opportunities and economic independence for people who are blind.”

“I am honored to receive the AbilityOne Champion award,” said Congressman Harper. “Working together, we can create jobs for blind Mississippians and strengthen the transition for Social Security Disability recipients to become productive members of the American workforce. Additionally, I support the NIB portion of the AbilityOne Program that results in a net cost savings to the federal government.”

About National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
At National Industries for the Blind (NIB), it is our mission to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 88 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program, formerly the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program. For more information regarding how NIB and NIB associated agencies continue to provide opportunities to Americans who are blind, please visit: www.NIB.org.

About the AbilityOne Program
The AbilityOne Program is the largest source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States. AbilityOne, a federal program, currently employs more than 40,000 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities on federal contracts. Through two central nonprofit agencies, NIB and NISH (serving people with a range of disabilities), AbilityOne works with more than 600 nonprofit agencies nationwide, and represents $2.3 billion in products and services provided to the federal government. The program meets the needs of federal agencies nationwide. For more information regarding the AbilityOne Program, its employees, or its product and service capabilities, please visit: www.AbilityOne.gov.

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Paul Begala Speaks at NIB/NAEPB Public Policy Forum

Political strategist and CNN contributor Paul Begala entertained the Public Policy Forum dinner crowd Monday, March 8 with humorous stories about partisan politics in Washington, D.C.

Begala started with the code of conduct for today's politics: always attack, never defend.

The dedicated Democrat acknowledged that the November 2010 mid-term elections will see losses for Democrats in both the Senate and the House based on both historical trends and the plunge in popularity of President Barack Obama.

Begala reminded the crowd that during the Clinton Administration, first-term losses to the Democratic Party in the House and Senate were more than double the historical average. Yet, two years later Clinton was re-elected.

His pragmatic outlook is that bipartisanship is rampant because it works in today's political environment. Begala also said America's bipartisanship still produces a better government and political system than any other country in the world.

"Only in America" could a man whose grandfather was a Kenyan goat herder become president. He added that America is also the only country in the world that will give people a chance to improve their lives, which includes people who are blind.

NIB 2009 Annual Report

Read NIB's recently-released FY 2009 Annual Report, available on the NIB website. The report focuses on NIB's initiatives to build relationships with people, communities, customers, Congress, federal partners and the blindness community, as well as efforts to protect the environment. Online formats: PDF and MS WORD

NIB/NAEPB Update from the Public Policy Forum

The 2010 NIB/NAEPB Public Policy Forum agenda for Tuesday, March 9 features top political strategists who will provide insight into how to move your message, engage various constituent groups and build partnerships. RSA Commissioner Lynnae Ruttledge from the Department of Education is the featured luncheon speaker. Click here for the full agenda; speaker bios and more details.
The Public Policy Forum kicked-off with a pre-conference lesson on how to Amplify Your Message on Capitol Hill.

Paul Begala, former advisor to President Clinton and a CNN political commentator, delivered a politically insightful and humorous after-dinner speech to help prepare the Public Policy Forum attendees for the realities of politics in Washington.

We're looking forward to a successful event where we will Make a Difference!