LOS ANGELES: Charlotte Otto, senior corporate strategist at Weber Shandwick, and Steve Johnson, founder of Johnson Communications, will co-chair a fundraising effort to enlist retired CCOs and college faculty members to donate to the Lagrant Foundation.
The initiative kicked off last month and will continue through December 31. The goal is to raise between $25,000 and $50,000.
"We desperately need far more diverse future leaders to effectively serve our companies and clients. The Lagrant Foundation is helping identify and educate the best and brightest diverse talent," said Otto, formerly the global external relations officer at Procter & Gamble.
Johnson, former CCO of Union Bank, and Otto will reach out to retired CCOs and college faculty for ongoing financial support, one-time donations, and planned gifts or bequests for the Lagrant Foundation.
"The need is great," said Johnson. "By building partnerships with seasoned and influential professionals in business, education, and other sectors of our society, we can ensure that the work of the Lagrant Foundation will continue. The support of our retired colleagues is critical to sustaining this effort."
Of those students awarded Lagrant scholarships, 72% have stayed within advertising, marketing, or PR.
"We need to broaden our base of support to do more. A number of individuals contemplate making contributions prior to the end of the year to not-for-profits and causes they are passionate about, so we're getting started now," said Kim Hunter, chairman and CEO of the Lagrant Foundation.