Mar 24, 2011

Gift For Life Leadership Changes, Board Expands

March 24, 2011–Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, announced today new leadership and new board members.

Taking over as chairperson of the board is Leslie Nathan-Street, who previously served as vice chair. Leslie has spent more than 20 years in the gift and home business, most recently as president of the Gift and Home Channel and prior to that as Senior Vice President at George Little Management LLC.

Joining Nathan-Street is Stu Teller, who was elected vice chair. Teller is managing partner of Right Angle Strategies, a new business development services company, and has more than 30 years of experience in the gift, home décor, and collegiate industries including senior executive positions with OneCoast and Madco.

“I am excited to help lead an organization that continues to make such a difference,” said Leslie Nathan-Street, Gift for Life chairperson. “We have tremendous momentum and will continue to work tirelessly with the generous help of board members and our industry partners.”

Recently joining the board are four industry veterans, bringing the total number of board members to 31.

Dorothy Creamer, editor-in-chief of Greetings etc. magazine, a role she took on in January of 2010. She is also the editor for Greetings etc.’s sister publications, Selling Christmas Decorations and Selling Halloween.

George Kacic, vice president of sales and marketing for Ganz, a leading manufacturer and distributor of gift, candle, personal care, plush and home décor products.

Suzanne Pruitt, owner of Marsh Meadows Marketing, a boutique full-service public relations and marketing firm specializing in the home furnishings, decorative accessories, giftware, and trade show industries. She is representing Urban Expositions, as well as her own interests, on the Gift For Life board.

Sarah Schwartz, a twenty-year veteran of the publishing business and founding editor of the award-winning Stationery Trends magazine. She was previously a senior editor at Reed Business Information.

Each year, Gift for Life hosts regional events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S. Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs.

ABOUT GIFT FOR LIFE

Gift for Life, the gift and home décor industry’s volunteer group raising funds for AIDS assistance and research through DIFFA: Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS, was founded in 1992. Since then, Gift for Life has raised nearly $4 million through special events, cause-related marketing, promotions, and from corporate and individual donations. For more information visit www.giftforlife.org

ABOUT DIFFA

DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide more than $38 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide. The DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS Web site is available at www.diffa.org