FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 25, 2014

Contact:

Donna L. Pfrommer,

EVP, Brand Management & Volunteer Engagement

(203) 339- 6312

Westport Residents Announced as

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County Board Members

WESTPORT, Conn. – August 25, 2014. Merle Berke-Schlessel, Esq., President & CEO of United Way of Coastal Fairfield County recently announced the Board of Directors that will lead the organization during the 2014 - 2015 fiscal year, including Westport residents John Moody, Duncan O’Brien, and Medha Thomas. In addition, Emeritus Board members from Westport include Lynn Abramson, Barbara Butler and Tom Green.

"We are fortunate to have strong board leadership,” stated Merle Berke-Schlessel, Esq., President & CEO, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County. “We are guided by this tremendous group of talented and experienced community activists.”

John Moody is a retired Executive Vice President of Pitney Bowes. He was the President of US Mailing Systems from 1994 to 2001, managing a $2.5 billion business with 12,000 employees. Previous to this, he served as President of Production Mail, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Product Development, and Vice President of Corporate Planning and Development at Pitney Bowes, and Chief Operating Officer of Pitney Bowes PLC (UK). John has been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanities of Coastal Fairfield County since 2003, a Business Counselor and Secretary of SCORE since 2004, and was a board member of the Business Council of Fairfield County from 1995 to 2002, serving as its chairman from 1998 to 2000. John served as the Chair of the Resource Development Committee on the Board of Directors, is currently on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committees of United Way of Coastal Fairfield County.

Duncan O’Brien was previously General Manager of Global Business Development for the General Electric Company. In that role, he was responsible for mergers and acquisitions by General Electric, and for corporate strategy. Duncan is also a member of the United Way National Donor Council, and was the Chair of the GE Corporate Campaign for United Way from 2008 through 2010. He is also is the Co-Chair of the Stewardship Committee of the Green’s Farm Congregational Church, and served as an Elder and Trustee of the Village Church in Prairie Village, KS from 2004 to 2006. Duncan also serves on the Strategic Planning Committee of United Way of Coastal Fairfield County.

Medha Thomas is an award-winning parenting blogger and organizer in Fairfield County, CT. She is author of a CT Post Hearst blog entitledMomestyand founder of CT-Moms Online, the largest parenting forum in the area and winner of the Best of the Gold Coast: Parenting Resources in 2009. CT-Moms focuses on connecting local parents, businesses and partners with hundreds of local sponsors and charities each year for fundraisers, drives and events. Her networking and philanthropic efforts have earned her several regional awards including "40-Under-40" from the Fairfield County Business Journal in 2012 and "Top 100 LocalInfluencers" from The Young Professionals Network. Mrs. Thomas received her BS in Cognitive Psychology from Drexel University in Philadelphia where she proceeded with her MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Currently, she is active in dozens of local non-profits including The Domestic Violence Crisis Center, The Center for Women and Families, The Sexual Assault Crisis Center, The Westport Young Women’s League, Kids in Crisis, The Junior League and The Family Centers. She serves on the Board of Directors for several non-profits including the Westport YMCA and Homes for Hope. She lives with her husband, Skaria, their two young children, Alyssa and Matthew and her mother, Maya, as well.

Moody, O’Brien and Thomas are joined by:

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County 2014 - 2015 Officers:

Robert Trefry- Chairman

President

PathQuest Coaching & Consulting LLC

Samuel B. Tingley – Vice Chair/Interim Treasurer

Vice President & Group Manager

M&T Bank

Mark Barnhart- Secretary

Director of Community & Economic Development

Town of Fairfield

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County Board of Directors:

Manny Andrade, JD, LLM, CMCF

Senior Vice President, Wealth Management

People’s United Bank

Raymond Baldwin, Esq.

President/CEO

St. Vincent’s Special Needs Services

Colin Baron

Pullman & Company

Christina Bodine-Aysseh

Assistant Vice President

Fairfield County Bank

Pablo Colon III

Vice President Sales & Marketing

Radio Cumbre Broadcasting Inc.

Joseph R. Catapano

Vice President & Controller

Pitney Bowes Inc.

George Coleman

Education Consultant

Cooperative Educational Services

Tracey Golden

Partner

Deloitte

Brian Griffin

Vice President

Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce

Robert Hendrick

Vice President, Supply Chain

R.C. Bigelow, Inc.

Doreen Madden

Manager of Community Relations

Connecticut Post

John Moody

Retired, Pitney Bowes

Thomas McCarthy

President

Bridgeport City Council

Duncan O’Brien

Giles Payne

Former principal, now Of Counsel at Brody Wilkinson


Eric Stone

Regional Vice President
Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Valerie Shultz-Wilson
President & CEO
Urban League of Southern Connecticut

Medha Thomas

Founder, CT-Moms Online

Lucy Teixeira

VP Administration

Aquarion Water Company

Paul Timpanelli

President & CEO

Bridgeport Regional Business Council

Stephen Vavrek

First Selectman

Town of Monroe

Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J.

President

Fairfield University

Susan Weinberger, Ph.D.

President

Mentor Consulting Group

EMERITUS:

Lynn Abramson

Teacher

Barbara Butler

Director of Human Services

Town of Westport

Anita Gliniecki

Retired President

Housatonic Community College

Tom Green

Retired Teacher

Bryan J. Huebner

Community Volunteer

Anne McCrory

Chancellor

Diocese of Bridgeport

Carlos Mello

Directors of Finance & Lending

Finance Authority of Maine

August F. Serra

Retired

GE

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County’s mission is: “Together, we mobilize our communities to improve people’s lives”. Our vision is that all at risk children in Coastal Fairfield County are successful in school and prepared for success in life. United Way of Coastal Fairfield County serves the towns of Fairfield, Bridgeport, Stratford, Westport, Trumbull, Easton, Monroe, Weston, Norwalk, Wilton, New Canaan and Darien. Find out more at our website,.

-# # #-