National Center for Disability Services Confers Henry Viscardi, Jr. Legacy Awards
Booz Allen Chairman & CEO honored for his extraordinary support of the employment of workers with disabilities.
Albertson, NY, December 13, 2004 — The National Center for Disability Services (NCDS) conferred its first Annual Henry Viscardi, Jr. Legacy Awards during a ceremony on December 8 at Mutual of America's Manhattan headquarters.
Named after the NCDS founder, who died at 91 in April 2004, the awards were created to recognize corporate leaders and other individuals who have promoted Dr. Viscardi's vision of helping people with disabilities locally in ways that will have a national impact.
Edmund L. Cortez, NCDS President and CEO, introduced the event's honorees, Dr. Ralph Shrader, Chairman and CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, and Lucile Viscardi, Dr. Viscardi's widow, and presented three awards. Michael Pascucci, President of WLNY TV-55, received the "Give Us The Tools Award," and Stephen L. Hammerman, Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department, was honored with "The School" award. Thomas J. Moran, President and CEO of Mutual of America received the "A Man's Stature" Award, for special achievement. The names of the individual awards are titles of books written by Dr. Viscardi.
"The corporate and civic leaders recognized today have displayed passion and determination in helping blaze trails for people with disabilities to become fully integrated participants in society," said Cortez. "We will continue to identify others who support the NCDS mission to empower people with disabilities and influence attitudes, policy and legislation across the country and around the world."
L to R: Edmund Cortez, President & CEO ofAbilities!/National Center for Disability Services; Dr. Ralph Shrader, Chairman and CEO of Booz Allen; Thomas Moran, President & CEO of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company
Dr. Ralph W. Shrader, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., was honored by the Center for his extraordinary support of the employment of workers with disabilities. Throughout his tenure at Booz Allen Hamilton, he has pioneered the creation of programs and services that help people with disabilities to obtain, retain, and advance in employment. Booz Allen Hamilton's latest venture in this area, its Emerging Leaders initiative, is an intern program for college students with disabilities. The Emerging Leaders program has quickly become recognized as a national model for effectively transitioning students with disabilities into employment.
The NCDS works with corporations and other entities through its National Business & Disability Council, which provides a full range of programs to more than 200 member businesses that employ people with disabilities. Programs range from training employees to ongoing legal and technological consultation for human resources executives regarding hiring and accommodating people with disabilities.
Cortez said that NCDS has also taken a global leadership role in harnessing technology to boost educational opportunities for children with severe physical and medical disabilities. He points to the Center's K-12 Henry Viscardi School, where "smart classrooms," cutting-edge music and visual arts facilitates, and virtual distance learning provide model approaches currently studied by education students at Columbia University's Teachers College and officials as far away as Beijing, China.
About the National Center for Disability Services
Founded in 1952, the National Center for Disability Services is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where people with disabilities receive the same treatment as all other people and have equal access to the benefits society offers. With a staff of more than 400, including experts in education, human resources and technology, NCDS has grown to become a global leader in the full integration people with disabilities into everyday life. More information about NCDS and its wide range of services to individuals, organizations and private-sector businesses is available at www.abilitiesonline.org.
