|
DO NOT RELEASE UNTIL 12 NOON, TUESDAY OCTOBER 29, 2002
PRESS RELEASE
Event Date: October 29, 2002
Contact: Amy Swisher
Phone: (704) 372-7961
Council for Children Awards the Community Friend of Children and 21st Annual Dolly Award
· Recognizes Outstanding Community and Corporate Efforts on Behalf of Children
October 29, 2002, Charlotte Convention Center – Today at Noon, , the Council for Children will recognize Barbara Spradling, Dave Burner, , Greg McIntosh, and Christopher Zion, each for their efforts on behalf of our community’s children. Awards will be presented today at the Charlotte Convention Center. Keynote speaker for the luncheon meeting is Naomi Haines Griffith.
Shortly after lunch begins, the recipient of the 21st Dolly Award, will be revealed and announced. This year’s award will be presented to Barbara Spradling, a Senior Vice President at Bank of America and active community volunteer. Dave Burner, Chairman & CEO of Goodrich Corporation will accept the Community Friend of Children Award. Christopher Zion of the Meeting Place and Greg McIntosh of McIntosh’s Steakhouse will receive Community Service Awards to recognize their exemplary support of the Council’s unique fundraiser, Kitchen Ingredients.
The Dolly Award, named for the late Dolly Tate, honors an outstanding child advocate in Mecklenburg County. Barbara Spradling has worked diligently on behalf of this community’s children. Of her many contributions to this community’s children, the Children and Family Services Center best exemplifies her work on behalf of children.
Ms. Spradling spent countless hours to ensure that the dream of the Center would become a reality spearheading the effort to raise 9 million dollars as well as overseeing the construction of this building (scheduled to open March 2003).
Goodrich Corporation will also be honored at the luncheon with the Community Friend of Children Award. They have been supporters of the Council for Children as well as other agencies that serve children for many years. Pat’s Place – The Mecklenburg Child Advocacy Center is a direct result of their generous support of the Council’s class advocacy effort on behalf of child victims of sexual abuse.
When informed of the award Dave Burner, Chairman and CEO of Goodrich Corporation, responded by saying “ I’m truly honored to have Goodrich recognized by the Council for Children. The mission of the Council rings true with the Goodrich commitment to Charlotte and the families that make this fine city a community of neighbors. The Goodrich family of employees knows that the future of Charlotte lies in the fullest development of its children and we take action to make a difference. We’re proud to be associated with the Council and look forward to assisting in making our collective dream of ensuring that every child in Mecklenburg Count has a voice, and an opportunity to develop to his or her full potential, a reality.”
Since 1979, the Council for Children, a private, nonprofit child advocacy organization funded in part by the United Way, has served as the voice for children. For additional information, please contact Amy Swisher or Candace Wilson of the Council for Children at (704) 372-7961.
###############
OUR MISSION
We are here to protect, promote, and passionately respresent children, their needs, and their issues by advocating at local and state levels, collaborating with other service providers to increase the overall effectiveness in providing services, educating the community on children's issues and serving as anadvocate for individual children when all other support systems have failed them.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Women in Business Awards
Profiles of 25 winners of our awards recognizing outstanding business achievement during the past year
Barbara Spradling
A strange thing happened on the way to Barbara Spradling's career as an accountant. It never happened.
After graduating from National Business College in Roanoke, Va., Spradling turned down a number of jobs with accounting firms, and then spent a year as an auditor for a Virginia bank. "I decided I really didn't like accounting," she says.
But in her 15 years with Bank of America and its predecessors, she has found a niche that enables her to play a prominent role in shaping Charlotte's center city and improving the quality of life of children.
At the bank, her duties range from mentoring other women to managing the technology and automated systems of its massive real estate holdings. The public might not see her, but it sees her results. She presided over the sign change when NationsBank became Bank of America, and millions view the bank's impressive collection of art.
"It comes from all the banks that make up Bank of America," she says of its art collection. "Some might be worth a lot of money, and some not worth much except to the communities it's in."
Examples range from Ben Long frescoes in the Charlotte headquarters to Native American kachina dolls in the Southwest to antique mechanical banks and photographs.
Spradling attributes emphasis by the bank on community service with the direction her career has taken. Lines often blur between her volunteer and bank roles.
After overseeing bank-led restoration of a burned-out church into the Tryon Center for Visual Art, Spradling now chairs the center's board. She also managed conversion of the former Montaldo's store to a Mint Museum branch. "The church was easy, because it was just a shell. But Montaldo's was a building, so it wasn't as obvious. One of my folks was just walking down the street one day and said, 'Why not a museum?' The idea was born."
Spradling is also a member of the South End District Development Corp. board. She effectively serves as liaison between center-city interests and the fast developing, adjoining area, but she also lives in nearby Dilworth with husband Steve and sons Thomas, 16, and Tyler, 10.
She's a member of Dilworth Little League board of directors and executive committee, and her sons have given personal meaning to child advocacy. She has chaired the board of the Council for Children, and now serves her second six-year term.
All that leaves her limited personal time, but she doesn't mind. "The time Steve and I do have, we like to devote to our children, so right now, that means I spend most of my time when I'm not working or involved in community activities going to baseball games."
About that career with a big accounting firm that never happened? No regrets - she believes accounting is a grueling profession, whether at the entry level or senior reaches.
Not so at Bank of America, where her career and personal life have found harmony. "I work for a company that not only supports that, but expects it," she says. "That makes it an easy match."
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
August 30, 2001
To: Whom It May Concern
Re: Barbara D. Spradling
Barbara has been a diehard supporter of the Council for Children for over 13 years. She is such a strong supporter of the Council that she is currently involved in her second 6-year term as a member of our Board of Directors. During her tenure as a board member she has held multiple positions within our organization including chair of our Public Policy Committee, President-Elect, President and currently Secretary. Barbara is willing to do whatever necessary to make each project, event and issue of the Council for Children a success.
Most recently, Barbara has been a driving force behind the concept and implementation of the Children and Family Services Center. The concept involves co-locating nine human service non-profit agencies in one facility which would then offer comprehensive child and family services more efficiently. Barbara has used her professional skills and clout to bring this dream to fruition. She has been a key player in negotiating the details of a $7 million dollar capital campaign to construct and furnish the center.
Barbara is a wonderful person and a dedicated volunteer of the Council for Children. I believe she exceeds your qualifications of exemplifying leadership, dedication, and a commitment to improving lives in our community through volunteerism. Please consider Barbara D. Spradling as a candidate for the 2001 Carolina Panthers Community Quarterback Award.
Sincerely,
Candace A. Wilson
Assistant Director
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
August 31, 2001
Carolina Panthers Community Quarterback Award
Attn: Crystal Dunham
800 South Mint St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
Dear Ms. Dunham,
The Community Quarterback Award seems to have been created to honor Barbara Spradling and her many leadership roles in our community. As an ex-high school football player, when I think of a quarterback, I think of a personality that commands respect, provides direction, and does so in such a manner as to maximize the efforts of all the players. Her attention to not only the issue that is being addressed, but the special talents of all the team, makes a win-win situation for all involved.
Barbara's ability to balance a professional career, parenting, little-league mother, and community volunteer continue to both impress and inspire. In all arenas where I have worked with and for Barbara, her tenacity to win, and her collaborative nature makes it a pleasure to address any task, at any time. She has one of those personalities that when you have 15 phone calls to return, there is no question who you will call back first. She doesn't waste either her or your time while still maintaining a warm and friendly manner. She gets things done.
As a human service professional of over 35 years, I have certainly had the privilege of working with many outstanding volunteers, Barbara is certainly that. She is also a friend, a trusted colleague and an effective advocate for children and families.
When you think of a quarterback, you think of a leader. Barbara is that and more and this community owes her much but I believe this award would speak to her many accomplishments. Such recognition is long overdue. I urge you to recognize Barbara Spradling as a community quarterback.
Sincerely,
Larry King
Executive Director
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
At first it was just a corporate duty. Bank of America expects its executives to be community leaders. So when Barbara Spradling, a newcomer to Charlotte, scanned a list of available board posts 13 years ago, she picked the Council for Children because the name sounded nice. Then she fell in love with the group's quest to help kids who fall between the cracks. And she realized her business skills complemented advocates who work with children. About three years ago, when co-worker (See attached article)
Published on May 13, 2001, Page 2B, Charlotte Observer, The (NC) Ann Doss Helms
Barbara joined the CFC Board in 1989
She served 4 3-year terms (1989 - 1991 and 1993 - 2001)
Public Awareness Chair 1992
President of the Board in 1994
Public Policy Chair 1998
Secretary 1999, 2000, 2001
Past President 2002
| 
