TampaBay-Job-Links Holds Its Fifth Anniversary Celebration

November 16, 2016

TampaBay-Job-Links Holds Its Fifth Anniversary Celebration

TBJL honorees from left to right, Mark Schneider, E. Michael Lillibridge, Ph.D, and Andy Hirsch.

TampaBay-Job-Links (TBJL) celebrated its Fifth Year Anniversary with over 100 supporters in attendance on Saturday, October 22nd at the home of Sharon and Bernie Stein to commemorate its work of transforming lives in the Tampa Bay community one job at a time. According to Executive Director Sheila Solomon Rudd, “This successful first-time celebration and fundraising event will help to support TBJL’s individualized programs and small-group workshops given through the Jack Roth Center for Career Development named in memory of TBL’s co-founder.”

The evening’s program began with Board President Andi Jacobs introducing two candidates who shared their personal experiences. Their stories began with the stress, fear, and uncertainty of unemployment, their gaining confidence through guidance and coaching, and eventually their becoming fully employed—all with TBJL’s encouragement and targeted job-search skill development programs.

Next, TBJL’s co-founder Blossom Leibowitz celebrated three exceptional volunteers for their valuable contributions to the growth of the non-profit— Senior Vice-President of The Hirsch Group at Robert W. Baird & Co. and founding board member, Andy Hirsch; Chief Technology Officer, WeVue, attorney, C.P.A., and founding board member, Mark Schneider; and licensed psychologist, marriage and family therapist, board certified coach, and founder and president of the PeopleMap Company, Dr. Michael Lillibridge.

TBJL supporters from left to right, Deborah Roth, Barbara Kerstein, Lili Kaufmann, and Paula Zielonka.

TBJL Executive Director, Solomon Rudd, introduced Chief Executive Officer of the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS), Genie Cohen, who spoke about Jewish vocational organizations both in the United States and abroad, many of which have been serving their communities for seven decades. She praised the accomplishments of TBJL’s outstanding work with the unemployed. Cohen stated, “Seeing the number of supporters here at the Fifth Anniversary Celebration, TampaBay-Job-Links is to be commended for its ability to build strong ties in the community in such a short time. I look forward to celebrating the organization’s next five years as it continues to grow and develop and to enable job-seeking candidates to land appropriate jobs.”

Event Co-chair, Kay Jacobs, then invited guests to enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres, followed by dinner catered by Edibles by Ethel. The evening also featured an opportunity to bid on the “Let’s Have Lunch” silent auction where guests could sign up to have lunch with notable community leaders, including Judith A. Lisi, President and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts; Former Navy SEAL Officer, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, Dan O’Shea, and Michael Fra
ncis, Music Director of The Florida Orchestra.

This “Let’s Have Lunch” auction fundraiser will continue online in December 2016 and will run through 2017 with other well-known Tampa Bay personalities and “celebrities” donating their time to connect with TBJL donors and supporters over lunch. Funds raised from the silent and online auction will go directly to TBJL’s career development services and programs.

This evening of celebrating TBJL’s accomplishments of the last five years is only a prelude to its continuing as a resource for professionals in career transition and as a haven in the Tampa Bay community for individuals to get prepared, get inspired, and get employed.

For more information about TBJL, please contact Sheila Solomon Rudd at 813-344-0200.

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The TBJL Fifth Anniversary Celebration was featured in:
Jewish Press: bit.ly/2fxqaJR | bit.ly/2fXRnpN
Tampa Bay Times: bit.ly/2fXP8m9

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