Founders and Founding Sponsors
Founders
Center for Companies That Care was founded in 2003 by:
Marci Koblenz, Founder and President
Marci Koblenz is a recognized national expert in the areas of workforce effectiveness, culture change, organizational redesign, and leadership development. She is president of MK Consultants, Ltd., a strategic human resources and organizational change firm that addresses critical people strategies required to effectively compete in a global economy.
Her client roster includes many corporate leaders including Abbott Laboratories, Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Kraft Foods, Motorola and PricewaterhouseCoopers, as well as medium and small businesses, such as Ravenswood Hospital, Rauland-Borg Corporation and Little City Foundation.
Most recently Koblenz founded the Center for Companies that Care. This national, not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization was launched in 2002 to enhance the well-being of employees and communities. The Center for Companies That Care educates employers to prize employees and be active contributors to their communities in order to create an environment in which individuals, families and communities thrive, a practice that benefits businesses as well.
Koblenz is also a nationally-recognized author. She co-wrote the book A New Paradigm: The Work and Life Pyramid of Needs with Alice Campbell and received the “Excellence in Promoting the Strategic Value of Balancing Working Life and Family Life” Award from Work in America Institute. Koblenz is often quoted in business publications including the Wall Street Journal and Business Week, and is a frequent speaker at national seminars and internal management education forums.
Prior to forming MK Consultants, Ltd. in 1994, Koblenz spent more than 10 years in human resources consulting for Hewitt Associates, The Wyatt Company and WFD. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Koblenz resides in suburban Chicago with her husband, four children and their dog.
Sandra Cunningham, Founder
Sandra Cunningham, Ed. D., a leader in program management and workplace issues in the business, education and not-for-profit environments, currently serves as President of New York-based Workplace Smarts! and is a founder of Center for Companies That Care. Prior to joining Workplace Smarts!, Cunningham launched Winning Workplaces and served as the first president of this not-for-profit organization that supports smaller businesses in creating positive and productive workplaces. Utilizing her vast educational background, Cunningham served as director of client services for the Midwest for Bright Horizons Family Solutions. In this capacity, she sought out employers and determined the benefits of workplace childcare centers as a part of comprehensive work and personal life programs. Clients included Motorola, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. She also held development positions with ServiceMaster, Inc. and served as executive director for the Institute for Educational Research. While executive director, she received national awards for creating teacher today publications, teaching assessment tools, and numerous parental education “how-to” brochures. Cunningham holds a doctorate, master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University. Cunningham resides in New York City.
Mary Ellen Gornick, Founder
A pioneer in the work/life field and expert in childcare issues, Mary Ellen is a founder of Center for Companies That Care and president of the CPA Group, a Chicago-based consulting firm that focuses in the practice areas of work/life consultation, community relations and consultation and referral services. The CPA Group represents a diverse client base within a variety of industries, community-based and government organizations. Clients include: Sears Roebuck, Federal Reserve Bank, Crate and Barrel, Chicago Board of Trade, Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC), and Interfaith Housing Development Corporation (HDC). Recognized for her outstanding work and contributions to society, Gornick was named one of Chicago’s “100 Women Making a Difference” by Leigh Publications in 1999. Extremely active in professional organizations, Gornick was a founding board member and past president of the Alliance of Work/Life Professionals (AWLP), the premier organization in that industry. The AWLP presented her with a special recognition award in 1999 for unparalleled dedication and leadership. Additionally, she is a member of the board of directors for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and was recently honored with an award for her fundraising efforts on their behalf. Gornick holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration.
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Founding Sponsors
The commitment and leadership of the Founding Sponsors to supporting employees and strengthening communities inspire us. We are grateful for their contributions.
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
Baxter developed an interest in becoming a founding sponsor of Companies That Care because the organization:
- Recognizes a wide variety of community stakeholders (companies large and small, not-for-profit organizations and government)
- Recognizes, showcases and shares best practices that foster long term sustainable development
- Supports and facilitates healthy balance of work/life
- Is designed to enrich the lives of all residents.
For more information on Baxter Healthcare visit their web site at www.baxter.com.
Krasnow Saunders Cornblath
Krasnow Saunders Cornblath, located in Chicago, solves legal problems with creative and imaginative solutions designed to further your goals and add value to your business. We do not define “good legal services” as simply protecting you or your business from risk. We help you understand your alternatives, the nature of the risks involved, the likelihood of the risks occurring and the comparative rewards. We strive to develop plans of action integrating our knowledge of your business and your motivations. We view our job as helping you do your job, making your business more profitable. For more information on Krasnow Saunders Cornblath visit www.ksc-law.com.
Neiger Design, Inc.
We establish measurable objectives and put our creative resources to work to build winning solutions for our clients. Founded in 1989, NeigerDesignInc., is a results-driven marketing and design firm offering clients the convenience and flexibility of one source for both marketing strategy development as well as the design and production of the tactics within the strategy. NeigerDesignInc. focuses on meeting the marketing needs of associations, healthcare organizations and corporations by providing creative solutions to difficult challenges, from planning and conceptualization through delivery of printed products. Specialty areas include marketing strategy, direct mail programs, annual reports, exhibit design and signage, newsletter and magazine design, advertising and corporate identity. For more information about Neiger Design visit their web site at www.neigerdesign.com.
Rauland-Borg Corporation
Since 1936, Rauland-Borg has identified, developed and perfected innovative communications tools and life-safety equipment for institutional environments, to meet and surpass customer needs. From our headquarters in Skokie, Illinois, we built a solid reputation for our dedication to quality design, manufacturing and customer service. For more information about Rauland-Borg visit their web site at www.rauland.com.
TAP Phamaceutical Products Inc.
TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc., located in Lake Forest, Ill., is a joint venture between Abbott Laboratories, headquartered in Abbott Park, Ill., and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd. of Osaka, Japan. TAP currently markets Lupron Depot® (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) and PREVACID® (lansoprazole). For more information about TAP and its products visit the company’s Web site at www.tap.com.