January 17, 2007

Merrimack Valley residents named to new United Way Board of Directors

BOSTON – The recently-merged organization United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley today announced that its Board of Directors has named three leaders from Merrimack Valley to its roster. Leonard A. Wilson, Regional President for Sovereign Bank, Lowell resident Nancy L. Donahue and Thomas H. Tulip, Ph.D., vice president, global brand champion, Bristol-Myers Squibb joined the Board of the merged entity effective January 1, 2007 .

“Ensuring that the Merrimack Valley voice remains strong in the new entity is a high priority of the merger,” said Milton J. Little, Jr., president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, as he formally welcomed the new Board members at a meeting this morning. “We’re excited that Len, Nancy and Thom share this commitment and will be an integral part of our work to bring regional muscle to local efforts to make social, educational and economic opportunities available to children and families in our region.”

The merger aims to boost social and economic opportunities for children and families in the Greater Boston and Merrimack Valley regions. Its goal is to leverage best practices and resources to address critical needs in the communities of eastern Massachusetts . The merger of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and United Way of Merrimack Valley became effective October 31, 2006 .

The new Board members from Merrimack Valley are:

• Lowell resident Nancy L. Donahue, a community leader who is affiliated with more than a dozen organizations in the region. Currently she chairs the Board of the Merrimack Reperatory Theater and co-chairs the Board of Trustees of the Whistler House Museum of Art. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Enterprise Bank and Trust Co. and the New England Quilt Museum , is a Trustee Emeritus at Lasell College , and co-chairs the Massachusetts Special Olympics Capital Campaign. She’s been married to Richard K. Donahue for 52 years and has 11 children and 20 grandchildren.
• Leonard A. Wilson, Regional President for Sovereign Bank, is also active in community affairs. He currently serves as Chair of the National Association of Workforce Boards in Washington , DC and is immediate Past Chair of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce. He’s also a past chair and current Board member of the Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board and the Yankee Clipper Council Boy Scouts of America. Len lives with his wife, Florence in Andover and has three grown children and four grandchildren.
• Thomas H. Tulip, Ph.D. is Vice President and Global Brand Champion for Bristol-Meyers Squibb Medical Imaging. He’s the past Board chair of United Way of Merrimack Valley . Tulip lives in Andover with his wife, Amy and has two grown children.

“Our task over the next year is to learn from our colleagues in Merrimack Valley ,” Little said. “During this time, we intend to work with volunteers and communicate with agencies and other stakeholders in the Valley to learn about the strategic challenges facing Merrimack Valley communities and where United Way can make the most significant contribution and have the most impact.”

United Way plans to open a new office in Lowell this spring, in addition to retaining the current office in Haverhill and opening a Product Philanthropy office in the greater Lawrence area. Plans for four new committees that will consult and advise United Way’s Board on local fund raising efforts, investments and raising community awareness of United Way’s work, are also now fully underway.

The merger agreement includes a new investment of $250,000 over a two-year period by United Way to prepare young people for rewarding careers in math, science and technology-related fields. United Way will work with leaders from biotech and life sciences industries, higher education institutions and programs serving youth to develop the initiative. In addition to the injection of new funds to develop math and science skills of youth, the organization is taking steps to ensure that current funding levels are protected. United Way will continue to invest the funds that are raised in Merrimack Valley in agencies and programs serving the region.