Florida BLN Steering Committee
CHAIR
Sue Moore
Walt Disney World Co
PAST CHAIR
Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR
ITM Group, Inc.
VR LIAISON
Eladio Amores
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
HR FLORIDA LIAISON
Catherine Mallozzi, SPHR
Florida Metropolitan University
BIG BEND BLN CHAIR
Sarah Butters
Holland & Knight
BREVARD BLN CHAIR
Douglas Barclay
Mercedes Homes, Inc.
BROWARD BLN CHAIR
Steven McCarty
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
EMERALD COAST BLN CO-CHAIRS
Sheryl Hollarn
MTI/MTC Technologies
Gail Waller
Ft. Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce
FIRST COAST BLN CHAIR
John Wagner
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
FT. MYERS BLN
Erin Wilkinson
SunTrust Bank
GREATER ORLANDO BLN CHAIR
Mayra Hernandez
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
MIAMI-DADE BLN CHAIR
Bob Bromberg
Bromberg & Associates
PALM BEACH BLN CO-CHAIRS
Rita Barreto Craig
The Craig Group
Rose Lee Archer
Rose Lee Productions Inc.
PANHANDLE BLN CO-CHAIRS
Lara Burnside
The Studer Group
Jennifer Grove
Gulf Power Company
POLK COUNTY BLN CHAIR
Karen Mitchell
Lakeland Regional Medical Center
TAMPA BAY METRO CHAIR
Angela M. Rosario
JOBING.com
About the Florida BLN
The Florida Business Leadership Network is a peer-to-peer membership group of employers seeking resources to recruit, hire and market to persons with disabilities. Members include small and large businesses who recognize that success in the 21st century hinges on a diverse workforce that includes employees with disabilities. For more information about the Florida BLN, visit www.floridabln.org. To suggest an article or upcoming event to be included in this newsletter, e-mail the editor at kristen@abletrust.org.
|
|
Message from the Chair
October was a busy month filled with exciting events and opportunities for businesses to improve their disability employment practices. This month's newsletter highlights some of the impressive measures taken by different businesses around the state of Florida to improve their practices.
The Able Trust was happy to host the 2007 Ability Awards this month. The Ability Awards honored three business for their outstanding efforts to exceed compliance of Federal American Disability Act (ADA) laws when it comes to their hiring practices, as well as individuals and business that exhibited leadership in disability employment practices.
Also included in this issue is information about Disability Mentoring Day 2007. There is also a report from the National Council on Disability that is available on the Web that allows individuals to assess the status of employment for people with disabilities.
Please be sure to visit our Florida BLN website at http://www.floridabln.org/ for additional helpful resources and information. If you have an event or best disability employment practice you'd like to share with the membership, please email or call Kristen Knapp at the Florida BLN at Kristen@abletrust.org or toll-free 888-838-2253.
|
The Able Trust Names Big Bend Business Leadership Network Chapter of the Year
As a result of their commitment and outstanding record of success in two short years, the Big Bend BLN was honored by The Able Trust and the Florida BLN as the 2007 Local Chapter of the Year.
"We're really excited about the award and about all of the support The Able Trust is giving us," said Sarah Butters, president of Big Bend BLN. "They do such great work-- for them to honor us is really something."
The Big Bend BLN is dedicated to raising disability awareness among their membership and among Tallahassee businesses. With more than 20 internships in place, they have been very successful in their efforts to place students and job seekers with disabilities in the work place. Participating businesses include Premier Bank, Mainline Information Systems, Pennington Law Firm, and the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology. A grant from The Able Trust will enable them to expand their internship program to provide more students and job seekers with job opportunities in the coming year.
The Able Trust established the Local BLN Chapter of the Year award to recognize a local chapter that has demonstrated outstanding practices, such as member recruitment, disability awareness, employer relations and job placement.
American Legion National Economic Commission Awards
The first American Legion National Economic Commission Award was established in 1947, and recognized individuals across the country who had established outstanding records in the employment and retention of workers with disabilities.
The National Economic Commission's Employer of Veterans Award gives recognition to one small, one medium and one large employer in each state for exceptional records in the hiring and retention of veterans. In order to be eligible for the Employer of Veterans Awards, nominees must meet the following criteria:
- At least 10 percent of the nominee's work force must be veterans.
- The nominee must have been in business for at least five years.
- The nominee cannot restrict employment to veterans only.
- The nominee cannot be a city, state or federal employer.
To be considered for the National Award, the deadline for submittals to the National Economic Commission in Washington, DC is January 15, 2008.
Nomination forms can be downloaded from http://www.legion.org/
|
The Able Trust Honors Employers of the Year at Ability Awards 2007
The Able Trust hosted the annual Ability Awards program to recognize Florida businesses going above and beyond the legal compliances of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to be "disability friendly."
The Able Trust honored Crystal Bay Enterprise, Inc. as the Small Employer of the Year. The small employer consists of up to 49 employees. Crystal Bay owner, Debbie Hietala, operates the cafeteria in the Hillsborough County Courthouse in Tampa. Crystal Bay is part of the Business Enterprises Program under Florida's Division of Blind Services. Over half of her current workforce has a disability. "I don't feel that I've done anything special in that it's just my commitment to what I do," said Hietala.
Regal Cinema Park Place Stadium 16 in Pinellas Park earned the Medium Employer of the Year award. The medium employer, which has between 50 to 99 employees, was honored for extraordinary hiring practices and accommodations manager Cheryl Basaldo provided to employees and patrons with disabilities. "I am proud to know that our theater has positively influenced the lives of others through our employment practices," said Basaldo. Regal Cinema currently has 10 special needs employees on staff, several of whom have recently received promotions.
Large Employer of the Year goes to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF). The organization earned honors from The Able Trust for the extraordinary hiring practices and accommodations it provides to people with disabilities around the state. BCBSF chairman and chief executive officer, made a commitment to becoming the "employer of choice" for Floridians with disabilities over the next few years.
The Able Trust recognizes outstanding achievements for employers around the state of Florida. The businesses were nominated by members of the community and winners were recognized for their efforts with a commendation from Governor Charlie Crist.
For more information about The Able Trust Ability Awards visit http://www.abletrust.org/.
National Council on Disability Releases its Latest Report
The National Council on Disability's Empowerment for Americans with Disabilities: Breaking Barriers to Careers and Full Employment report is a broad assessment of the employment status of people with disabilities.
The report shows that a comprehensive approach needs to simultaneously address problems on both the supply and demand sides: helping make people with disabilities ready and available for employment while working with employers to ensure that good opportunities are available.
One goal of the report is to assemble and present the best practices in the public and private sectors and the promising public policies and initiatives that facilitate an increase in employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
To view the entire report visit http://www.ncd.gov/.
Upcoming Events
2007 Disability Mentoring Day
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. It is sponsored nationally by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and in Florida by Publix Super Markets and American Express.
The Able Trust and Florida were selected by AAPD to launch DMD activities nationwide. The national kickoff took place on September 24, 2007 with a statewide career fair in Orlando that was held in conjunction with the USBLN national conference. The career fair offered networking opportunities, breakout sessions, national keynote speakers, resume critiques, interview opportunities and assistive technology demonstrations for workers with disabilities.
Nearly 600 high school and college students traveled from around Florida to come face-to-face with more than 40 employers, including Wachovia, Best Buy, Publix and American Express.
National Disability Mentoring Day takes place October 17, 2007. Over 60 community liaisons are working to match more than 1,000 mentees and mentors in 35 counties in Florida for this year's activities. For more information about DMD, visit http://www.floridadmd.org/.
Local Chapter News
New survey assesses local Florida BLN Effectiveness
In collaboration with The Able Trust, Wilson Resources, Inc. recently surveyed local BLN chapter members to assess the impact the BLN has had on member attitudes and actions in recruiting and hiring people with disabilities.
Findings of the study included the increase in employers knowing more about hiring people with disabilities as a result of their BLN membership, with their knowledge nearly doubling from pre-BLN involvement to post-BLN involvement. In addition, the survey shows that as a result of their BLN involvement, employers are offering more opportunities to people with disabilities.
The survey, which was conducted during the months of January, February and March of 2007, was provided to members at local BLN meetings and electronically. It featured a series of questions that were completed by 92 respondents from local chapters.
To view the complete survey, visit the Florida BLN website at www.floridabln.org.
|
|
