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Washington, D.C. - The Special Olympics International Board of Directors recently elected two new members. The new Board Members are Anne Finucane, Chief Marketing Officer, Bank of America Corporation, and Sam Perkins, Vice President of Player Relations, Indiana Pacers and former NBA star.
Both will attend their first Special Olympics Board of Directors meeting on February 7, 2009 in Boise, Idaho, which is being held in conjunction with the upcoming 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
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The Special Olympics International Board is the ultimate governing authority for the Special Olympics movement and is composed of global leaders in the areas of business, government, disability, sports and entertainment. All Directors are elected for a three-year term and may be re-elected twice, for a maximum of nine consecutive years.
“I’m honored to welcome Sam Perkins and Anne Finucane to our Board,” said Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver. “Both Sam and Anne have been long-time supporters of Special Olympics initiatives worldwide and I’m excited that they are willing to share their expertise and passion to help shape the future of Special Olympics as members of our Board of Directors.”
New Board Member Profiles
Sam Perkins became involved with Special Olympics through the NBA Cares Program as he participated in multiple basketball clinics around the world. Earlier this year, he was in California, USA where he held a skills camp for athletes with intellectual disabilities. While in California Perkins participated in the celebration of a newly announced partnership between Special Olympics and Safeway grocery stores in which a portion of the money raised during the month of April at Safeway stores in more than 20 U.S. states will be donated to Special Olympics. Additionally, Perkins attended the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai and spoke to world leaders at the Global Summit during those Games. In April 2008, Perkins helped launch the first Special Olympics basketball program in Senegal and has also participated in humanitarian missions for the U.S. Department of State.
As a basketball player Perkins was drafted fourth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1984 NBA Draft, one slot after the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan. Perkins has enjoyed a wealth of success on the basketball court. He owns an NCAA championship ring and an Olympic gold medal, and he reached the NBA Playoffs in 13 of his 15 pro seasons. In June 2008, Perkins was named the Vice President of Player Relations for the Indiana Pacers.
Anne Finucane is Chief Marketing Officer for Bank of America, leading marketing and advertising, communications, public policy and research, community development and investment, and philanthropic giving for the company. As chair of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, one of the largest corporate philanthropic organizations in the world, Finucane oversees distribution of more than $200 million in annual charitable funding to communities across the United States, Europe and China, including funding for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai. Bank of America also sponsored Team USA in 2007, helping 399 athletes and 144 coaches train and compete at the World Summer Games. Finucane traveled to Shanghai to attend the Games and Global Summit.
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