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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>For
Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Missouri
Council of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Denny
Huff – President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>5453
Chippewa<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>St.
Louis, MO 63109<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>(888)
362-1383<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><a
href="mailto:dhuff@moblind.org">dhuff@moblind.org</a><span style='font-family:
"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>¦<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><br
clear=all style='page-break-before:always'>
</span>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Not-For-Profit
Organization Hires Executive Director and Field Marketing Representative<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> The
Missouri Council of the Blind, the state's largest blind consumer organization
has employed Jennifer Parker of St. Louis MO as their new Executive Director
and Lowell Newsom as their new Field Marketing Representative. The board of MCB
met Monday evening via a teleconference call and interviewed Ms. Parker and Mr.
Newsom for the positions and with overwhelming approval voted to employ them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Denny
Huff, President of MCB said that the organization has been diligently searching
for a qualified person to fill that its Executive Director position for the
past several months. Huff goes on to say that the board feels very fortunate
to have someone of Ms. Parker’s qualifications and ability to have
accepted this position.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> As
an experienced executive director of nonprofit organizations, Ms. Parker brings
over 20 years of experience and knowledge in association management,
governance, and program development and implementation. Her passion is working
in association management and she has a deep appreciation for the relationships
she has developed with Board members and other organizational
stakeholders— past and present. Her education includes a BS in Business
Administration and earning the Certified Association Executive designation from
the American Society of Association Executives. Her diverse skills enable her
to be successful in large or small organizations. However; she is most
comfortable in small organizations where she lead a small staff or where she is
the “entire” staff.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Ms.
Parker will be joining a staff of a full time Administrative Assistant and a
part time clerk. The MCB headquarters are located at 5453 Chippewa in St.
Louis MO.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Additionally
the MCB board has hired Mr. Lowell Newsom as a Field Service Representative.
The MCB Board, by employing a Field Marketing Representative, has recognized
the need for a full time development person to raise much needed funding
revenues. Mr. Newsom has had over 6 years of fundraising experience ranging
from a national fraternal organization to smaller association charities. Mr.
Newsom currently resides in Wichita KS as the CEO of a not-for-profit
organization there. Before moving to Kansas earlier this year he had been a
long time resident of St. Louis. Mr. Newsom stated that as an only child and
aging parents still residing in Missouri, the opening of this position in the Missouri
Council of the Blind provided him with the opportunity of not only helping a
worthwhile organization but will allow him to be closer to his parents to
assist better with their care.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> President
Denny Huff says that MCB is very excited about bringing Mr. Newsom on board to
assist in our fund raising. “We have been dependant on income from
several thrift stores throughout the state for the past many years” Huff
goes on to say,” but have lost that support about a year ago. Mr. Newsom
will assist in bringing back some of that lost income”. MCB has begun
making plans to open their own thrift store in the St. Louis area by July of
2010.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>With 20 affiliates across the
state and over 800 members, MCB reaches out to all blind and visually impaired
of Missouri. MCB offers several programs to serve its members and other blind
residents including a weeklong camp at Cobblestone Park in Cuba Missouri. A
matching grant to purchase adaptive technology equipment and special assistance
for young blind people to compete with their sighted peers in many different
ways. MCB also offers over $20,000.00 in scholarships annually to any legally
blind student in Missouri.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> To
be a member of MCB you do not need to be visually impaired, only to have an
interest in helping the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> For
more information you can call Denny Huff, President of the Missouri Council of
the Blind at: 888-362-1383 or email him at: </span><a
href="mailto:dhuff@moblind.org">dhuff@moblind.org</a><span style='font-family:
"Times New Roman","serif"'>. You may also visit their web page at:
www.moblind.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>¦<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>
########<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:#00B050'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Denny Huff - President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Missouri Council of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>5453 Chippewa<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>St. Louis, MO 63109<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Phone: (636) 262-1383<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Toll Free: (888) 362-1383<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Phonecast: (816) 298-8969<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>FAX: (636) 629-1710<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>DHuff@MoBlind.Org<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>www.moblind.org<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>MCB - A GREAT PLACE TO BE!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The purpose of Missouri Council of the Blind shall be to
promote the general well-being of our members and legally blind people in
Missouri, and to support or participate in other programs promoting the best
interests of legally blind people everywhere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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