May 8, 2009

CRI Employee Receives Top Award from Community Health Charities of America

Alfred Massidas, CRI general manager and controller, was named the recipient of the 2009 Community Health Charities of America (CHC) Outstanding Community Service Volunteer Award. 

The award salutes the volunteer that has made extraordinary achievements and contributions to CHC through dedicated leadership and volunteer excellence.  Through his work, Alfred is honored for providing service to CHC at both the national and local levels.

At the awards ceremony, then-incoming chairman of the Community Health Charities of Amerca James M. Burns (pictured below) lauded Mr. Massidas in his presentation of the award (transcript below).

CRI congratulates Mr. Massidas on this outstanding achievement, and extends its thanks to him for all his work on behalf of the Cancer Research Institute and the other members of the Community Health Charities of America. 

Below is a transcript of the award presentation by James M. Burns, CHC chairman of the board:

Finally, our last award salutes the volunteer who has made extraordinary achievements and contributions to Community Health Charities through dedicated leadership and volunteer excellence.  A minimum of five years with CHC (which may also include prior association with NVHA and CHA) is expected.  Through their work, this volunteer has provided service to the organization at both the national and local levels.

This person has served on the affiliates boards of New Jersey, New York, California, National Capital Area, and Florida, just to name a few.  Using the word "serving" is probably the wrong word for this person.  This person is a leader for Community Health Charities at the affiliate and national level, and probably has never been someone who passively just serves as a volunteer.

When you ask Community Health Charities of California what they say about this person, it goes something like this, "His integrity, determination and professionalism have made CHC of California a superior organization which has provided the affiliate the ideal platform for its next period of growth and achievement. His collaborative demeanor and approach to issues has garnered him the utmost respect of the California staff and Board volunteers. He has also proven to be a rich resource for a new finance staff learning the many nuances of the federation model finance system."

While working hard in California, he was also helping New Jersey, where he served on the Income Development, Employee Benefits, and Budget Committees.

Then turn your ear to the National Capital Area of Community Health Charities and you hear something like, "He brings his accounting expertise and knowledge of CHC to his role as chair of our Auditing Committee.  Since its inception he has been invaluable in helping us.  His extensive knowledge of CHC as a whole, his work with several other affiliates has allowed our affiliate the opportunity to learn through him some of the best practices of our CHC colleagues for implementation in the National Capital Area."

The recipient of this award takes the job seriously, does his homework, comes to meetings, is prepared, and takes ownership. He is the epitome of what a volunteer is supposed to be.

Perhaps more important, is that he understands the big picture of Community Health Charities.  A tireless advocate for CHC affiliates -- he is also committed to the nationwide picture of Community Health Charities.   He has served as the national member representative for the Cancer Research Institute for the past 14 years, as well as a number of committees at the national level.  More recently, his work on the Task Force for Corporate Restructuring provided both national and affiliate perspectives that was invaluable to the team’s deliberations in the area of organizational finances, giving Booz Allen Hamilton, the consultant on the project a run for their money.

It is my honor and privilege to present and congratulate Alfred Massidas, the general manager and controller of the Cancer Research Institute, as the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Community Service Volunteer Award.

About the Community Health Charities of America

Cancer Research Institute is a member of the Community Health Charities (CHC) of America, which provides a list of the nation’s most respected health agencies to employees during annual "Giving Campaigns."  Contributions are automatically deducted from paychecks and go towards the charity or charities the employees choose to support.  CRI receives about $250,000 annually through CHC from private sector sources (about $1 million from all sources).  With additional corporate partners, this number could grow significantly.  To learn more about how your company can become a CHC Corporate Partner, please contact Alfred Massidas at (212) 688-7515, ext. 237.

About the Cancer Research Institute

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is the world’s only non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the support and coordination of scientific and clinical efforts that will lead to the immunological treatment, control, and prevention of cancer. Guided by a world-renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes four Nobel Prize winners and twenty-nine members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI supports leading-edge cancer research at top medical centers and universities throughout the world. The Cancer Research Institute is ushering in a new era of scientific progress, hastening the discovery of effective cancer vaccines and other immune-based therapies that are providing new hope to cancer patients.

The Cancer Research Institute has one of the lowest overhead expense ratios among non-profit organizations, with more than 85 percent of its resources going directly to the support of its science, medical, and research programs. CRI meets or exceeds all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, the most comprehensive U.S. charity evaluation service, and according to Charity Navigator exceeds or meets industry standards and performs as well as or better than most cancer charities. CRI has also received an 'A' grade for fiscal disclosure and efficiency from the American Institute of Philanthropy as well as top accolades from other charity watchdog organizations. http://www.cancerresearch.org.

Contact: Brian Brewer, Director of Communications, Cancer Research Institute
(212) 688-7515 ext. 242 or bbrewer@cancerresearch.org 

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