1. United Way of Greater Knoxville
2014 Annual Recognition Luncheon
11:45 a.m.
The Standard
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Agenda/Script
(for Tommy and Ben Only)
11:30 Guest Arrival
(SLIDE-WELCOME TO THE 2014 ANNUAL MEETING)
I. 11:45 Open and Welcome Tommy Schmid
(POWERPOINT PRESENTATION #2)
• Good afternoon, and welcome to United Way of Greater Knoxville’s Annual
Recognition Luncheon. We’re glad you could be with us today. I’m Tommy
Schmid, the Board Chair of United Way of Greater Knoxville.
• I have been volunteering with this organization for over 25 years – in different
roles – and I have enjoyed each one.
• When I started as a Loaned Executive, I really had no idea what I was in for,
but really liked what I learned.
• United Way was helping people and I wanted to be part of it.

2. • I know you all are here for the same reason and we appreciate your dedication
and support.
• We are here today to highlight our accomplishments, recognize our volunteers
and look ahead to the future and hear from a dynamic friend of ours.
• But, before we continue our lunch, I’d like to invite Robert Sherrod to open our
meeting in prayer.
II. 11:47 Invocation
Robert gives invocation. Tommy remains at the podium)
Tommy
• Thank you, Robert
• As we break for lunch, I want to offer a special thank you to our United
Way meeting sponsors for making today’s luncheon possible.
• We would especially like to thank our title sponsor for today, the First
Tennessee Foundation.
• A group of First Tennessee volunteers are here,
Tommy motions to their table
• Let’s give them a hand. And congratulations on 150 years of service and
your 150 Days of Giving campaign.
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3. (SLIDE: THANK YOU MEETING SPONSORS)
(SLIDE: THANK YOU FIRST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION)
• Also, we are working on our 2013 annual report. Once it is complete, in
the next few weeks, it will be posted online. I encourage you to take a look
at it on the United Way website at u-w-g-k dot org.
• Please continue your lunch and we’ll get started with our program in just a
few minutes.
(SLIDE: LOGO)
III. 12:00 Purpose of Today’s Meeting Tommy
• I hope everyone is enjoying their lunch. Please continue to enjoy your
lunch while we start the meeting.
• We are in a different location today, the Standard. I chose it, because I
wanted us to see this new venue that demonstrates some of the ongoing
revitalization taking place downtown. My good friend, David Dewhirst,
who has joined us today, and his team are the developers of this venue and
many others in downtown. Thank you, David, for your efforts in making
downtown Knoxville a viable place to live, work and play.
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4. • The purpose of today’s meeting is to celebrate our 2013 accomplishments,
recognize a few special individuals, and talk about the future of United
Way of Greater Knoxville.
IV. 12:01 Looking Back Tommy
• First of all, I want to thank members of our board of directors and executive
committee for the positions they held in 2013. Their leadership and
accountability are the keys to our organization’s success and has made my
role as Board Chair much easier.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE)
• Many thanks to the leadership of Bob Kesling, our 2013 Campaign Chair.
With the hard working efforts of Bob and his campaign team, we exceeded
our goal, and raised twelve million, three thousand, and sixty dollars!
(SLIDE: $12,003,060 RAISED)
• Bob is the Director of Broadcasting for the Vol network, and of course he is
the Voice of the Vols, as we all know. With all of that, he somehow still
found time to chair our 2013 campaign, in addition to everything else he
does. His commitment to United Way this past year was tremendous,
always willing to meet with a company workforce, kick off a campaign,
talk with a CEO, whatever it took to make the campaign a success. All the
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5. while, he had this day job that kept him very busy, including some evening
and weekend gigs!
• Bob, some of the folks in our community wanted to give special thanks for
all your hard work in 2013.
• Now, we couldn’t get to everyone, but this video represents some of our
partner agencies who benefited because of what you helped to accomplish.
• Let’s see what they have to say.
(PLAY VIDEO)
• Wasn’t that great! Again, we were unable to visit everyone, but we know
all of our partners are sending their thanks.
• Bob, please come up and accept this plaque of appreciation for your
dedication and hard work.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU BOB KESLING)
• Bob had a team of folks helping him and we want to thank his campaign
cabinet and campaign advisory council for their hard work.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU CAMPAIGN CABINET AND CAMPAIGN ADVISORY
COUNCIL)
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6. • I also want to thank our 2013 class of Loaned Executives. This is one of
the hardest working group of people in our campaign, taking time out
during their regular work week to help and support the campaign. I served
in this role 25 years ago and know how important and time consuming this
role can be.
• We could not have done it without you.
• If you were a 2013, Loaned Executive, please stand so we can give you a
round of applause.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU LOANED EXECUTIVES)
• As we always say in the board meetings, our work is done in committees.
And we had an outstanding group in 2013.
• So at this time, I would like to thank all of our committee volunteers.
• If you were involved with any of the 2013 committees, please stand when I
call your committee so we can give you a round of applause
• Branding and Messaging
• Community Engagement and Mobilization
• Labor Participation
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7. • Outcome Based Investment; these people have the hardest job, in my
opinion, determining how the funds we raise are allocated, which is not
an easy task.
• And, Operations
(SLIDE: THANK YOU COMMITTEES)
(SLIDE – UW LOGO)
• Now I would like to present plaques to those rotating out of current
positions as committee chairs and officers.
• Please come up as I call your name.
(Adam and Lindsey will hand out plaques.)
• Jeff Lee, general manager of WBIR, has served on our board for many
years and as board secretary for the last two years. Jeff rotates out of the
secretary position, but remains on the board as our media consultant. He
has been instrumental for so many years in helping with the media aspects
of our campaigns, along with our other media partners, for which we are
truly grateful. We are glad he will remain on the board, providing his much
needed expertise and wisdom. Jeff, please come up and accept this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU JEFF LEE)
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8. • Rosalyn Tillman, Dean of Pellissippi State Community College, Magnolia
Campus, has spent this last year as immediate past board chair and is
rotating out of that position and into the role of Board Secretary. I have
worked with Rosalyn over many years and appreciate her guidance, advice
and wisdom. Thank you Rosalyn for your leadership. Please accept this
plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU ROSALYN TILLMAN )
• Oslo Cole with A. C. Entertainment has served as the chair of the
nominating committee. I have appreciated his leadership and commitment
to United Way. Oslo rotates out of his committee role, but remains on the
board. Thanks Oslo. Please accept this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU OSLO COLE)
• Russell Harris the Third has completed six years of board service, but is
remaining on the board by accepting the role of Nominating Committee
chair. Russell, thank you for your work on our board. Please accept this
plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU RUSSELL HARRIS, III)
• We also want to thank the board members who are rotating off this year,
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9. • George Bove, representing the Labor Council, one of our long-time
partners; thank you for your hard work and dedication. Please come and
accept this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU GEORGE BOVE)
• Tom Jensen, thank you for your dedication and all the work you have done
for us. Tom is a good friend of mine and United Way, and always been a
good steward of United Way monies! Please accept this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU TOM JENSEN)
• Wilson Taylor the Third, you have worked tirelessly on behalf of United
Way and we are truly thankful for your service. We would like to give you
this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU WILSON TAYLOR, III)
• Pam Fansler, a past campaign chair and long-time supporter of United
Way, thank you for your hard work. Please accept this plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU PAM FANSLER)
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10. • Bob Parker, who ably led our Operations Committee for several years, we
sincerely appreciate your dedication and hard work. Please accept this
plaque.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU BOB PARKER)
• Let’s give these folks a round of applause.
• Last month, in our board of directors meeting, we elected the following
new members to our board. If you are here, please stand as I read your
name:
(SLIDE: WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS)
• Kristy Altman
• Sara Baker
• Randy Boyd
• Santiago (koo-car-ees) Cuccarese
• Becky Dodson
• Jill Green
• Kimberly Mitchell
• Brandon Parks
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11. • N. J. Pesci
• Welcome, new board members.
• And finally, the board elected the following slate of 2014 officers and
committee chairs…
(SLIDE-OFFICERS AND CHAIRS)
• Board Chair Thomas Schmid
• Board Chair Elect Joe Landsman
• 2014 Campaign Chair Randy Boyd
• Branding and Messaging Committee Chair Tiffany Carpenter
• Community Engagement and Mobilization David Brace
Committee Chair
• Labor Participation Committee Chair Suzanne Coile
• Nominating Committee Chair Russell Harris, the third
• Outcomes Based Investment Committee Jill Van Beke
Chair
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12. • Operations Committee Chair Greg Marret
• Secretary Rosalyn Tillman
(SLIDE – SPECIAL THANKS)
• And special thanks to these non-voting members,
• Bruce Foster, with Bass, Berry and Sims, who serves as Legal Counsel to
United Way
• And, Dale Keasling who serves as chairman of the Monday Trustees.
• Join me as we thank our officers and committee chairs for their service.
(SLIDE – UW LOGO)
• As we all know, much of the work accomplished through your United
Way investments is made possible through our partnership with local
community service agencies.
• At last month’s board of directors meeting, tough funding decisions
were approved for 2014, and as of today, we are currently funding 97 local
programs through 46 community partners. Would anyone representing
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13. these agencies please stand and let us thank you for the outstanding work
that you do.
(SLIDE: THANK YOU PARTNER AGENCIES)
(SLIDE: UWGK LOGO)
• We have one more special person to recognize today.
• And I’m going to turn it over to our President and C-E-O, Ben Landers.
(BEN TAKES THE PODIUM) Ben
• On February first, nineteen eighty nine, Cheryl Hair came to work for the
United Way of Greater Knoxville. That was twenty five years ago.
• She is our Senior Vice President of Operations, and is our longest serving
employee.
• She is a C.P.A. by training, and aside from managing the books for United
Way, she handles our Management and Information systems.
• She is a valued team member and we thank her for her 25 years of loyal
service.
• Cheryl, on behalf of myself, the staff, and all of the volunteers who have
worked with you over the years, please come up and accept this plaque as
our appreciation for your loyalty and dedication.
(CHERYL ACCEPTS HER PLAQUE)
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14. (BEN TURNS THE PODIUM BACK OVER TO TOMMY)
(SLIDE: EDUCATION, INCOME, HEALTH ICONS)
V. 12:30 Granting Process Tommy
(SLIDE – HEALTH & BASIC NEEDS)
• Two thousand thirteen was another exciting year for us; we accepted
applications from health and basic needs programs in the third and final
phase of our new, competitive grant-making process.
• This process, in the third and final year of implementation, allowed more
nonprofits to apply for funding and allowed current partners to expand their
programs.
• We were able to add four new agencies and eight programs.
• As was the process with education, and income and basic needs, these
agencies too, will receive grants on a three-year basis, which allows time
for their programs to achieve measureable results.
• Next year, the competitive grant-making cycle will continue, as education
programs will apply for another round of three-year funding.
(SLIDE-LOGO)
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15. • The competitive grant-making process was yet again a great success, and I
want to thank all of you for helping to make that happen.
(SLIDE- THANK YOU OUTCOME BASE INVESTMENT VOLUNTEERS)
• If you served as a volunteer on any of the Outcome Based Investment
committees in 2013, please stand up again and let us thank you for your
hard work.
(SLIDE – LOGO)
• In the past three years, the grant-making process here at United Way of
Greater Knoxville has experienced a lot of change:
• We have gone from a relatively closed “members only” process, to a
competitive grant-making process.
• We have moved to three-year grant cycles, which maximizes the time and
talent investment of our volunteers, and lessens the administrative costs of
our grantees while providing them a more realistic timeframe to
demonstrate results.
• We have moved to a cloud-based process for applications, agency periodic
reporting AND volunteer review.
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16. • We have engaged with other professional agencies to develop outcomes
that can measure our impact.
• Our 92 year old community-centric focus is shifting away from being the
sole funder, to emphasizing our role as collaborator, convener, advocate,
and making competitive grants to local nonprofit programs that can
measure and report results.
• Our donors and the community are demanding it!
• Some examples of our involvement and partnerships include:
• Community Schools
• Together! Healthy Knox
• The Smarter Cities program, which identifies ways to lessen the burden
of residential energy expense for low income earners(?).
• And the development of a community-wide online data warehouse that
will provide the tracking of the information and outcomes that are
relevant to the United Way mission.
• I want to thank everyone who has embraced these changes and have
worked to ensure our success. It has been a long road of formulation and
implementation, but well worth the time and effort.
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17. (SLIDE- UW LOGO)
VI. 12:35 Introduction of Cynthia Gibson Tommy
• Now I would like to introduce a very special guest and someone I am
honored to consider a friend.
• Cynthia Gibson serves as executive vice president, chief legal officer and
corporate secretary for Scripps Networks Interactive.
• Based here in Knoxville, Cynthia manages the company’s global legal
affairs, business affairs, government affairs and internal audit departments,
with staff in Knoxville, New York City, Chevy Case, Cincinnati, London
and Singapore.
• Cynthia was recently named as one of the Most Powerful Women in Cable
by CableFax.
• She is also a member of the Women in Cable Telecommunications and the
National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications.
• When in private practice, she was recognized a among “The Best Lawyers in
America,” and named among the Top fifty Women Attorney in Ohio and
The Top twenty five Women Attorneys in Cincinnati.
• Not only is she a member of our local board of directors,
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18. • But she serves as Chair of the board of directors of United Way
Worldwide’s National Women’s Leadership Council, which is helping
showcase the importance of women’s philanthropy throughout the United
Way network.
• She is a founding member and past chair of the Women of Tocqueville
Society,
• And is a trustee-elect of the board of directors for United Way of America!
• In addition to her work with United Way, she also serves as a member of the
Episcopal School of Knoxville board of directors.
• She is a busy lady!
• With that, please welcome our dear friend, Ms. Cynthia Gibson.
(SLIDE- Cynthia Gibson)
12:37 (Cynthia Speaks)
(SLIDE- UW LOGO)
VII. 12:55 Closing Tommy
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19. • Thank you Cynthia. We are honored to have you as a member of our board of
directors and an advocate for our organization.
• In closing, let me offer my thanks and congratulations to our retiring
board members, and a warm welcome to the new members and officers
coming aboard.
• Also, thanks to all of our volunteers, donors and community partners for all
their efforts.
• Throughout 2014, we will be the leader in making our community a better
place. We will be accountable with donors’ contributions, and we will direct
funding where it can address the most important needs as we continue
identifying the root causes of problems in our community. United Way will
continue to help people.
VIII. 1:00 Adjourn Tommy
• Thank you so much for attending and have a great day. We are adjourned.
(SLIDE-THANK YOU)
[End]
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