Arts and Business Council of Chicago Celebrates IBM's Commitment to Pro Bono Service
September 23, 2013 /3BL Media/ - As part of National Pro Bono Week, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC) is showcasing its long term partnership with IBM, a global leader in innovation and service. On Friday, October 25, IBM will host a panel of employees who have participated in A&BC’s pro bono management consulting program, Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA), to share their experience and to inspire other IBM employees to get involved.
For decades, IBM has supported A&BC in providing in-kind donations, financial resources and board members. In the last two and half years, A&BC has deepened its relationship with IBM and become even more strategic in aligning their goals for mutual benefit. A&BC has partnered with IBM to engage the members of IBM’s Chicago Emerging Leaders group in the BVA program, which matches teams of pro bono consultants with small-to-mid-sized Chicago area arts and cultural nonprofits to develop business, marketing and/or financial plans.
According to Dave Carlquist, Vice President of Global Business Partners and Executive Sponsor of Chicago Emerging Leaders (CEL),
“For CEL, a group of talented, early-career professionals, the BVA program provides a mutually beneficial opportunity to cultivate skills and leadership experience while, at the same time, bringing value to the organizations in which CEL members volunteer. The BVA program builds camaraderie among IBM volunteers and nurtures relationships throughout Chicagoland which is good for our community, good for IBM and good for the arts.”
Since 2010, A&BC has recruited and trained 40 IBM employees through the BVA program. More than half of the IBMers have volunteered for more than one three-six month long project. Collectively, the IBMers have donated more than 1,000 hours of pro bono management consulting to A&BC’s clients valuing over $120,000 in services.
About A&BC
For more than 25 years, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC) has been dedicated to making sure Chicago thrives as an arts and culture rich city. A&BC’s mission is to strengthen non-profit arts organizations by bringing resources and expertise to the sector through:
· Consulting provided by highly qualified business professionals
· Training in all aspects of management and board functions
· Research in the leading and emerging issues
· Relationships that bridge the arts community and businesses
For more information about A&BC, visit www.artsbiz-chicago.org. If you’d like to get involved with the Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA) program as a pro bono consultant, please contact Katie Kurcz at kkurcz@artsbiz-chicago.org or (312) 372-1876 ext 229.
About Pro Bono Service
Pro bono--short for pro bono publico, "for the public good"—refers to professional services delivered without expectation of a fee to organizations serving the social good. It is both a form of support for community organizations as well as an increasingly core part of the ethic of business professionals from design to HR and technology, who believe that high-quality professional services are too important to only be available to those who can afford them.
