Philips Arena Staff Member Anthony Wilder Receives Leadership Award From Marriott Foundation
ATLANTA, October 18, 2004 ? Philips Arena Environmental Services Manager Anthony Wilder has received the Marriott Foundation's Leadership Award for his mentoring work with students who participate in the Foundation's ? Bridges From School To Work? program.
A resident of Decatur, Ga., Wilder received the honor at the annual Bridges Employer Recognition Reception, which was held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel on Oct. 14. Richard E. Marriott , chairman of Host Marriott Corporation and the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities, presented the award to Wilder.
?Anthony's hard work with the Bridges program is inspiring to me, and we are extremely proud of this prestigious recognition by the Marriott Foundation,? said Philips Arena President Bob Williams . ?His commitment to young people and the positive results the program achieves at Philips Arena is an excellent model for our staff to follow as we strive to better serve our customers and our community.?
?Bridges ? from school to work? is a program that develops and supports employment opportunities for young people with disabilities who are completing their last year of high school. The Marriott Foundation's Leadership Awards pay tribute to individuals and employers in the Atlanta area who have made exceptional contributions to Bridges, and it honors all who have participated in the program.
Through Wilder's participation and coordination, Philips Arena has employed approximately 30 Bridges students over the past four years, with eight currently working at the venue as part of this year's class. Wilder, a former staff member of the Omni Coliseum, joined the Philips Arena staff when the venue opened in 1999.
Since 1996, more than 150 local employers have provided employment opportunities for more than 800 youth, helping these young people with disabilities succeed in the workplace. In addition to Atlanta, the Bridges program operates in Chicago, Los Angeles, Montgomery County, Md., Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington , D.C. For more information about the foundation or the Bridges program visit www.marriottfoundation.org .
Named for sponsor Philips Electronics , Philips Arena is consistently ranked among the top 10 concert arenas in North America, based on attendance numbers tallied by industry magazines. The operating rights to Philips Arena are owned by Atlanta Spirit LLC , which also owns the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers. Philips Arena is online at www.PhilipsArena.com .
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