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PRESS RELEASE October 31, 2024
Wilmers Integrity Prize Awarded to Hang Time Founder
Charles Grady leads illustrious group of finalists, earning $50,000 prize to further the impact of aiding formerly incarcerated individuals. New this year: three finalists awarded $5000 each NEW YORK, NY, October 31, 2024 – The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize, which supports individuals working in the United States who demonstrate exceptional integrity through their actions and advocacy, has been awarded to Charles Grady, founder and CEO of Hang Time, a Connecticut nonprofit committed to empowering and reintegrating ex-offenders back into society. Awarded each year, the Prize is a no-strings-attached cash award of $50,000. This recognition was announced yesterday in New York City by the Wilmers Integrity Prize, a nonprofit established in 2019 to support individuals working in the United States with exceptional integrity to better our world through their actions and advocacy. Integrity in leadership and service to the community are at the forefront of the Prize’s search, and individuals working in the arts, education, environment, law, medicine, nutrition, social justice, and social reform are eligible. Named for Robert G. Wilmers, the late chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, the Prize honors leadership and service to community. “We seek to highlight values that Bob himself pursued vigorously through his enduring commitment to enrich the communities where he lived and worked,” said H. Rodgin Cohen, President of The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize. “We honor those who have the catalytic inspiration to drive positive change in our society by recognizing and investing in leaders who are doing exceptional work.” Mr. Cohen became President of the Wilmers Integrity Prize in June, succeeding Elisabeth Wilmers, widow of the late Robert G. Wilmers. In addition, the Wilmers Integrity Prize announced today the formation of an endowed gift that makes possible the awarding of $5,000 to each of the runners-ups. “This generous gift elevates the impact of the Wilmers Integrity Prize exponentially,” said Executive Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson, “not only expanding our efforts to elevate those in our communities who are so deserving, but also increasing the impact and reach of the work we do. And it makes all the finalists winners.” This new funding, which will provide cash awards to the runners-ups and fund their travel to an annual awards ceremony, is generously funded by Sherwood Guernsey of Williamstown, Massachusetts. “All four leaders are outstanding,” said Guernsey. “Each one raises up their communities by offering, in their different programs, hope, security, opportunity, and integrity.” In receiving the Wilmers Integrity Prize, Grady led an accomplished group of four finalists who have each launched game-changing programs to address inequity and drive positive change. In addition to Charles Grady, winner of the 2024 Wilmers Integrity Prize, finalists include Tia Bell, Renee Fluker, and Rina Madhani. All four have a clear story, a potential for increased impact, and have unique projects. They have created programs that are both deeply personal and that you could imagine at significant scale. They represent different points along a spectrum of growth, but all at places where the Prize could help. THE FINALISTS Tia Bell, Founder and CEO of The True Reasons I Grabbed the Gun Evolved From Risks (T.R.I.G.G.E.R.) Project, Washington, DC. broke the cycle (thanks to a basketball scholarship) of the escalating problems stemming from concentrated poverty but returned home after college to help adjudicated youth. Tia founded a grassroots prevention program in response to gun violence in DC by providing safe space for youth survivors and telling the stories of gun violence users. Her unique approach – finding traumatized kids and helping them heal before they pull the trigger — has caught the attention of U Michigan and the CDC, which she is partnering with on a 5-year study. They want kids in large and small communities to understand the underlying shared root causes of gun violence, shifting the blame off community and centering the needs of people who have been forsaken by society. “Not many people take the approach of understanding the shooter,” her reference noted, “understanding the perspective of people for whom life is so terrible that picking up a gun is the logical choice. Tia facilitated it all. She is not only a youth development specialist, but a potential visionary on a broader societal level.” After a 30+ year career as a social worker, Reneé Fluker (founder and president, Midnight Golf Program, Detroit) founded MGP in 2001 with 17 students when her son was the only person of color on the high school golf team. Today 5000 students have passed through the program, which equips at-risk Detroit youth with life skills training, coaching, mentoring, and the discipline of golf to succeed in college and beyond. Yearly her program serves 260 students, drawn from a pool of over 2,000 applicants. These students, primarily from public schools in the Detroit metro area, are selected for their demonstrated potential to succeed in college. The 30-week program provides them with a comprehensive suite of services, from golf lessons to life skills development and college readiness. The heart of the program lies not in the mechanics of the game, but in the community that Reneé has created. Golf is the entry point—the “hook”—that brings students together. What they receive is a network of support that extends well beyond their time in the program. Miss Reneé’s vision has been to build a safe space where students can learn, grow, and thrive, even in the face of adversity. Born to Indian parents who immigrated to the US before she was born, Rina Madhani (co-founder and executive director Start Lighthouse, the Bronx) was a classroom teacher in the Bronx when, at the start of the pandemic, she launched Start Lighthouse to address childhood literacy through a social justice lens when she noticed that students had no books at home. (Over 55% of schools in NYC do not have functioning libraries, 63% are born into poverty, fewer than half of the students meet city/state learning standards.) She wrote to the principal of the largest elementary school in the district, which provides a lot of support services and said she wanted to give away books. They gave away 500 books in an hour. Several years later, leaving her teaching job for Start Lighthouse, she has given 21,000 multicultural books to youth to take home, helped establish 3 colorful libraries in elementary schools in the Bronx, and implemented reading comprehension specialists in those schools. She now has a waiting list of 51 schools. CHARLES GRADY The winner of the 2024 Wilmers Integrity Prize, Charles Grady is the founder and CEO of Hang Time in Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury Connecticut. In 2014, working full time for the US Attorney Office District of Connecticut, Charlie created Hang Time with a single purpose: to give individuals returning home from prison a positive place to talk and reintegrate back into society instead of going back to the same streets that helped lead them to prison. He was running an anti-violence program in Bridgeport that used scare tactics, which he didn’t think was working. He found a neutral location and invited formerly incarcerated gang members to talk – “they’ve been voiceless for years.” That was November 14, 2014. Eight people showed up, he ordered pizza, and they talked. (Charlie picked a topic.) The next week, 14 showed up. Then 50. Then 73. There’s no advertising – just word of mouth. Hang Time now has multiple programs, ranging from a Hall of Change (honoring formerly incarcerated for community work), CHOICES (urban high school mentoring program through sports), scholarships, and Her Time (Hang Time for women). Over 1000 individuals have participated in Hang Time in four cities in just the first 8 months of 2024 alone. “Lives are rough in general,” noted Charlie. “But no one knows rough like coming home from years of incarceration. People don’t understand it and become desensitized. When you start to look at what they must overcome to get that scarlet letter off their back…you gotta look at them in a new light.” In 2016, Bob Wilmers wrote in his annual letter to shareholders of M&T Bank: “Their integrity and character, their unwavering commitment to doing the right thing the right way, and their willingness – indeed eagerness – to go above and beyond the call of duty is the reason I am confident in our ability to thrive and prosper in service of our communities in the years to come.” He could have been speaking about the three finalists and winner of the 2024 Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize. The 14-member Wilmers Integrity Prize Selection Committee includes cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Kevin Sullivan, previous Prize winners Max Kenner and Lundy Ramos Perez, among others. To learn more about the prize, please visit our website at wilmersintegrityprize.org. Media Contact: For interviews with the finalists or more information: Jennifer Trainer Thompson jenniferthompson@wilmersintegrityprize.org 413-207-1210
PRESS RELEASE May 7, 2024
The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize Appoints Three New Members to its Board of Directors
New York City [May 7, 2024] – The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize announces that it has elected John C. (Hans) Morris, Allison Sagraves, and Diana Taylor to its Board of Directors. They will join the board for its June meeting. “We welcome these three dynamic members to our Board,” said Elisabeth Wilmers, Chair of the Board. “They bring distinct skills and perspectives, and we are pleased to work with them in their new capacity for the Wilmers Integrity Prize.” The Wilmers Integrity Prize was established in 2019 to support individuals working in the U.S. with exceptional integrity to better our world through their actions and advocacy. Offered each year, the Prize is a no-strings-attached cash award of $50,000. Integrity in leadership and service to the community are at the forefront of the nonprofit organization’s search, and individuals working in the arts, education, environment, law, medicine, nutrition, social justice, and social reform are eligible for the prize. Individuals residing and working in the United States may apply or nominate another person for the prize. The prize was established in honor of the late Robert Wilmers, chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, to recognize and celebrate the ideals represented by his life and legacy as a philanthropist and as an advocate for positive change for the greater good. Hans Morris is the founder and Managing Partner of Nyca Partners, a venture capital company that focuses on financial services companies, founded in 2014. From 2010 until 2014, he served as a managing director and special advisor at General Atlantic, a growth equity firm. Mr. Morris previously served as the President of Visa, Inc., from 2007 to 2009 and spent the previous 27 years at Citigroup and its predecessor companies in various leadership positions. He serves as chair of the board of directors of Lending Club and is a director of several private companies. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he is a trustee of The Public Theater in New York and former chairman of the boards of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (Dartmouth College) and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). In 2016, Hans and Bob Wilmers were part of the group that purchased The Berkshire Eagle, and Hans continues to serve as chairman of its board. Hans and his wife, Kate, live in New York City and Stockbridge. Allison Sagraves held numerous leadership positions at M&T Bank, including serving as the bank’s founding Chief Data Officer. As an early enterprise chief data officer in industry, Ms. Sagraves has achieved international recognition, named to 2022 Top 100 Global Data and Analytics Innovators and three-time Global Data Power Women. Allison, who earned her MBA at Harvard Business School, is an adjunct faculty member for the Carnegie Mellon University Chief Data and Analytics Officer Program. She formed her own consulting firm in 2022 and serves a growing portfolio of global clients. She is a popular speaker at top conferences such as CES 2024, where she spoke on Banking in the Age of AI, and her thought leadership has been published in the Harvard Business Review. Prior to attending Harvard Business School, Allison served on the White House Staff, and worked for The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, International Paper, Barclays Bank, and Deloitte. Allison lives in Western New York with her husband, D. Gregory Connors, a former member of The Buffalo News Editorial Board. A leader in finance and government, Diana Taylor served as superintendent of banking for the State of New York under former Governor George Pataki from 2003 to 2007 and has held various positions in the State government, including Chief Financial Officer of the Long Island Power Authority and Deputy Secretary to the Governor of New York State. She was previously Vice Chair of Solera Capital LLC and Managing Director at Wolfensohn Fund Management. She started her career as an investment banker at Smith Barney, followed by Lehman Brothers and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette. Ms. Taylor currently serves on the Board of Directors of Citigroup and of Brookfield Asset Management. She also chairs several not-for-profit organizations, including Accion, the New York City Ballet, HotBread Kitchen and the Friends of Hudson River Park. She is a past chair of the YMCA of Greater New York and the New York Women’s Foundation and sits on the board of the Cold Spring Harbor Labs. She is a Trustee Emeritus of Dartmouth College, and of the Mayo Clinic. Ms. Taylor earned her AB from Dartmouth College, her MBA from Columbia Business School, and her MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia. “Their deep experience in culture, strategic planning, finance, philanthropy and governance will strengthen the work of the Board as we seek to expand the Prize’s impact and further our commitment to honoring the unsung heroes who are making a difference in our communities,” said Executive Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson. “It's an honor to join the board,” said Sagraves, “and amplify Bob’s legacy of impact and integrity.” For more information about the Prize, including its Board of Directors and Selection Committee, visit https://wilmersintegrityprize.org/ Contact: Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Executive Director jenniferthompson@wilmersintegrityprize.org Cell: 413-207-1210
PRESS RELEASE March 7, 2024
Wilmers Integrity Prize Awarded to Refuge America Founder
Edafe Okporo leads illustrious group of finalists, earning $50,000 prize to further the impact of aiding displaced people. NEW YORK, NY, March 7, 2024 – The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize, which honors individuals striving to better our world, has been awarded to Edafe Okporo, founder of Refuge America, a nonprofit committed to strengthening America as a welcome place for displaced LGBTQ+ people. Offered each year, the Prize is a no-strings-attached cash award of $50,000. This recognition was announced at a reception for 65 inaugural donors to the Wilmers Integrity Prize, a nonprofit established in 2019 to support individuals working in the United States with exceptional integrity to better our world through their actions and advocacy. Integrity in leadership and service to the community are at the forefront of the Prize’s search, and individuals working in the arts, education, environment, law, medicine, nutrition, social justice, and social reform are eligible. “Named for the late chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, the Prize honors leadership and service to community – values that Bob himself pursued rigorously through his enduring commitment to enrich and uplift the communities where he lived and worked,” said Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Executive Director of the Wilmers Integrity Prize. “We’re looking for those unsung heroes who have the catalytic force to drive positive change in our society. We’re committed to recognizing and investing in leaders doing good work. Edafe Okporo earned this year’s Wilmers Integrity Prize for his inspiring work to transform the lives of refugees and asylum seekers who have been able to find safety, support, and a fresh start.” In receiving the Wilmers Integrity Prize, Okporo led an accomplished group of finalists who have all launched innovative programs to address inequity and drive positive change. Finalists include: Cheri Garcia, Founder and CEO, Cornbread Hustle. One out of three American adults has a criminal record, but their punishment often extends beyond prison, as many are unable to find work if background checks show an arrest or conviction. In 2016, Cherie Garcia created Cornbread Hustle, a passionate voice in fair-chance/second chance hiring, offering meaningful work to people returning from incarceration or in recovery. Based in Dallas, the agency has helped 2500 people in Texas just out of prison or in recovery find meaningful employment. Karen Mack, Founder and CEO, LA Commons. Twenty-three years ago, Karen Mack had an idea: use art as a vehicle for building a stronger sense of community in Los Angeles by engaging disparate communities in artistic expression that fostered dialogue, activism, and empowerment. No one understood what she was doing, and she had no money, but she persevered, believing there’s logic in the world, and that if you’re on your path, things happen. She also believed that you could have plans to do any number of things, but you have to start doing it to make your idea real. Today LA Commons has developed 80+ initiatives, engaging thousands of artists, youth, and community in grassroots cultural discovery, deepening everyone’s sense of belonging. Edafe Okporo migrated to the U.S. from Nigeria in 2016 as an asylum seeker and is now a refugee. He helped found New York City’s first full-time shelter that offers transitional refuge for migrants fleeing violence and persecution abroad, and is the founder of Refuge America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping refugees and asylum seekers reconstruct their lives, find security, and create a fresh start. A global gay rights activist and artist, Okporo’s work offers a lifeline to those who’ve been compelled to escape their homelands due to persecution and other hardships. Okporo is the author of Asylum (Simon & Schuster), a memoir and manifesto of a gay Nigerian’s search for his place in the world. Partnering with local refugee organizations in New York State, Chicago, and other cities, Refuge America’s goal is to aid 625 refugees by 2025. “Challenges persist,” said Okporo, “but with support like this Prize, we can work toward a more inclusive and compassionate society that welcomes and empowers those in need of refuge. Many individuals arrive with hopes of a better life, only to be confronted by a multitude of barriers. My motivation springs from a deep-seated desire to extend a helping hand to these vulnerable souls, aiding them in navigating the labyrinthine US immigration system and providing the essential support they require to rebuild their lives.” Refuge America helps with obtaining legal asylum status, securing housing, finding access to education and employment, and facilitating their smooth integration into new communities. The 14-member Wilmers Integrity Prize Selection Committee includes cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Kevin Sullivan, M&T Chairman René Jones, previous Prize winners Max Kenner and Lundy Ramos Perez, among others. To learn more about the prize, please visit our website at wilmersintegrityprize.org. Media Contact For interviews with Edafe Okporo or more information: Jennifer Trainer Thompson (413) 207-1210 jenniferthompson@wilmersintregrityprize.org The Wilmers Integrity Prize was established in 2019 to support individuals working in the U.S. with exceptional integrity to better our world through their actions and advocacy. Offered each year, the Prize is a no-strings-attached cash award of $50,000. Integrity in leadership and service to the community are at the forefront of the nonprofit organization’s search, and individuals working in the arts, education, environment, law, medicine, nutrition, social justice, and social reform are eligible for the prize. Individuals residing and working in the United States may apply or nominate another person for the prize. The prize was established in honor of the late Robert Wilmers, chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, to recognize and celebrate the ideals represented by his life and legacy as a philanthropist and as an advocate for positive change for the greater good. Hans Morris is the founder and Managing Partner of Nyca Partners, a venture capital company that focuses on financial services companies, founded in 2014. From 2010 until 2014, he served as a managing director and special advisor at General Atlantic, a growth equity firm. Mr. Morris previously served as the President of Visa, Inc., from 2007 to 2009 and spent the previous 27 years at Citigroup and its predecessor companies in various leadership positions. He serves as chair of the board of directors of Lending Club and is a director of several private companies. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he is a trustee of The Public Theater in New York and former chairman of the boards of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (Dartmouth College) and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). In 2016, Hans and Bob Wilmers were part of the group that purchased The Berkshire Eagle, and Hans continues to serve as chairman of its board. Hans and his wife, Kate, live in New York City and Stockbridge. Allison Sagraves held numerous leadership positions at M&T Bank, including serving as the bank’s founding Chief Data Officer. As an early enterprise chief data officer in industry, Ms. Sagraves has achieved international recognition, named to 2022 Top 100 Global Data and Analytics Innovators and three-time Global Data Power Women. Allison, who earned her MBA at Harvard Business School, is an adjunct faculty member for the Carnegie Mellon University Chief Data and Analytics Officer Program. She formed her own consulting firm in 2022 and serves a growing portfolio of global clients. She is a popular speaker at top conferences such as CES 2024, where she spoke on Banking in the Age of AI, and her thought leadership has been published in the Harvard Business Review. Prior to attending Harvard Business School, Allison served on the White House Staff, and worked for The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, International Paper, Barclays Bank, and Deloitte. Allison lives in Western New York with her husband, D. Gregory Connors, a former member of The Buffalo News Editorial Board. A leader in finance and government, Diana Taylor served as superintendent of banking for the State of New York under former Governor George Pataki from 2003 to 2007 and has held various positions in the State government, including Chief Financial Officer of the Long Island Power Authority and Deputy Secretary to the Governor of New York State. She was previously Vice Chair of Solera Capital LLC and Managing Director at Wolfensohn Fund Management. She started her career as an investment banker at Smith Barney, followed by Lehman Brothers and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette. Ms. Taylor currently serves on the Board of Directors of Citigroup and of Brookfield Asset Management. She also chairs several not-for-profit organizations, including Accion, the New York City Ballet, HotBread Kitchen and the Friends of Hudson River Park. She is a past chair of the YMCA of Greater New York and the New York Women’s Foundation and sits on the board of the Cold Spring Harbor Labs. She is a Trustee Emeritus of Dartmouth College, and of the Mayo Clinic. Ms. Taylor earned her AB from Dartmouth College, her MBA from Columbia Business School, and her MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia. “Their deep experience in culture, strategic planning, finance, philanthropy and governance will strengthen the work of the Board as we seek to expand the Prize’s impact and further our commitment to honoring the unsung heroes who are making a difference in our communities,” said Executive Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson. “It's an honor to join the board,” said Sagraves, “and amplify Bob’s legacy of impact and integrity.” For more information about the Prize, including its Board of Directors and Selection Committee, visit https://wilmersintegrityprize.org/ Contact: Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Executive Director jenniferthompson@wilmersintegrityprize.org Cell: 413-207-1210