Linda Chandler was appointed new CEO of SOC Enterprises by the SOC Board of Directors. For the new few weeks she will be receiving a thorough orientation to SOC operations and getting acquainted with staff and consumers. Linda comes to SOC with a background in both non-profit and profit management. For more information please find attached a profile detailing her background and experience. Also, please find attached a press release prepared by the SOC Board Chief Executive Task Force that will be circulated to press and media outlets later this week. Linda can be reached at (7030 299-3236 or .


PROFILE

LINDA CHANDLER

Linda Chandler of Washington, DC is the fourth CEO of SOC Enterprises Inc., a 50 year old organization helping people with disabilities to have careers. She is committed to helping people find dignity through work.

Linda was formerly Vice President of Operations for Goodwill Industries International (GII), Rockville, MD. She became associated with Goodwill Industries in the early 1980’s when she joined the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries in the Southern Piedmont in Charlotte, NC. After she relocated to Washington in 1986, she joined the Board of Goodwill of Greater Washington. She served as Treasurer and then as Chair from 1998-2000.

Linda has over 30 years of working for nonprofit and for-profit organizations so she has a unique blend of experiences from both sectors. She has worked for a professional society, a trade organization, and now a human service nonprofit. Prior to joining GII in 2003, she was Senior Vice President of American Society of Association Executive and earned her certification as a Certified Association Executive. She was Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Washington, DC. Her focus in these positions has been strategic planning, technology, administration, human resources and financial management.

Prior to joining NAM in 1991, she worked in financial and senior management positions with Griffith Consumers Inc., Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Barclays American Corporation, and Bank of America.

A native of Charlotte, NC, Linda earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Duke University, Durham, NC. She supports Carolina sports only if they are not playing Duke in basketball.

She also completed the executive management program in nonprofit organizations at the Harvard School of Business. She was inducted into the Academy of Women Achievers in 1992.

August 2009

SOC Enterprises, Inc.

750 South 23rd Street

Arlington, VA 22202

Phone: 703-521-4441 Fax: 703-521-3443

Contact: Kelly Ferris

August 25, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOC Enterprises Announces New Chief Executive Officer

Former Goodwill Industries Executive to Spearhead Employment Opportunities for Disabled

Arlington, VA (August 25, 2009) -- SOC Enterprises (www.socent.org) today announced that its Board of Directors has named Linda H. Chandler to serve as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Arlington, Virginia-based SOC Enterprises assists, supports, and empowers people with disabilities to achieve employment, independence and integration in the workplace and in the community.

Ms. Chandler has served since July 2003 as Vice President, Operations of Goodwill Industries International, a $30 million non-profit entity with 168 organizational members. At Goodwill Industries she was responsible for leading development and implementation of their strategic and tactical operating plans and for grant development, member outreach, financial analysis, and personnel management for a staff of 60.

Prior to joining Goodwill, Chandler was Senior Vice President for the American Society of Association Executives, a $22 million professional society where she was responsible for on-going operations and management, distribution, and for marketing the professions knowledge assets. Her education included a B.A. in Chemistry from Duke University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Ms. Lee Mariano, SOC Board Chairman said that the Board of Directors unanimously selected Ms. Chandler after an extensive executive search based on her track record leading complex organizations, as well as her strong executive and personal qualities. "Our search for a new CEO to lead SOC Enterprise’s sustained success has been focused and thorough," said Mariano. "A screening team of Board Members established a broad field of candidates and interviewed many individuals before recommending Ms. Chandler as the strongest contender”.

"Linda came to our attention because of her strong execution skills, proven ability to lead top performing teams, her track record in driving successful organizations, and for her passion for the SOC mission. She has demonstrated these skills across her career and we look forward to her applying her leadership skills and expertise at SOC. We were impressed by her operational management experience, emphasis on the importance of the SOC mission, understanding of the role of culture in a not-for-profit’s success, and personal integrity, Mariano said.”

Chandler said, "SOC has had a proud history of success and dedication to the community with an outstanding reputation spanning fifty years. It's a great honor to join its leadership team and to have the opportunity to build on its success."

MORE

SOC Appoints New CEO

PAGE TWO

Chandler will assume her new duties in September and will join the SOC board. She succeeds Mr. Charles Richman who is retiring after 18 years of dedicated service to SOC. Board Chair Mariano said “We are grateful for Chuck’s enormous contribution to SOC over the last 18 years. On behalf of the Board and the entire SOC family, we want to thank him for his excellent leadership and stewardship of the SOC mission and wish him the best in his well deserved retirement.”

More information and photos are available at http://www.socent.org

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About SOC Enterprises:

SOC Enterprises (www.socent.org) assists, supports, and empowers people with disabilities to achieve employment, independence and integration in the workplace and in the community.SOC Enterprises was founded in 1959 by a group of parents who wanted to create meaningful job opportunities for their children with disabilities when people with severe disabilities had limited work and community living options. Today, SOC Enterprises provides a variety of labor-intensive services to meet both regional and national needs. SOC employs almost 300 people with disabilities each year who want to learn job skills, become employed and live as independently as possible. SOC provides comprehensive individualized employment and training services, operates full-service printing, mailing and fulfillment site, and provides a wide-range of contract services to government offices and commercial businesses including mail, distribution, fulfillment, photocopying, and administrative services.

Through the Independence Fund, SOC is able to provide effective program services and unique employment services to people with disabilities. Private donors have the opportunity to make personal contributions to support the SOC mission.

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