Porter-Leath Receives G. Bradley Wanzer Jr. Award for Excellence
Porter-Leath celebrated its 160th anniversary by being named the 2010 recipient of the G. Bradley Wanzer Jr. Award for Excellence from United Way of the Mid-South.
Porter-Leath received the award at the United Way of the Mid-South’s annual meeting and campaign celebration. The award is given annually to a local United Way agency that best displays four standards of excellence that were important to Wanzer during his career at United Way – accountability, partnerships, collaborations and outcomes measures. This is the fifth year for the award, which includes a $25,000 stipend to further agency programming. Ellis Haddad, chair of Porter-Leath’s board of directors, and Sean Lee, Porter-Leath’s president, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
“2010 is Porter-Leath’s 160th year, and being selected for this award is an amazing way to kick off the agency’s anniversary. I was thrilled to accept this award along with board chair Ellis Haddad on behalf of Porter-Leath,” Lee said. “At Porter-Leath, we have dedicated staff and incredible board members who are out there leading the charge every day to improve the lives of at-risk children and families in Memphis. This award is truly a credit to them, and I want to thank them all for their continued dedication.”
Brad Wanzer was United Way of the Mid-South's senior vice president of fund distribution. During his 31-year career, he was responsible for the planning, management and direction of fund distribution activities across the agency's eight-county Mid-South area. After his unexpected death in late 2004, board members, volunteers and staff wanted to honor him in a way that paid tribute to his years of service but also recognized what he saw as important – improving the community. Out of this desire to honor Wanzer came the idea for the G. Bradley Wanzer Jr. Award for Excellence.
“Outcomes are one of the main factors we evaluate in selecting the recipient of each year’s Wanzer Award, and Porter-Leath has long been one of the most successful and effective not-for-profits in the Memphis area,” said Dave Skorupa, vice president of communications at United Way of the Mid-South. “Porter-Leath’s programs consistently produce positive outcomes, and United Way of the Mid-South was proud to present the agency with the 2010 Wanzer Award.”
