For Immediate Release
November 29, 2019
Contact Information

GENYOUth

(BPRW) The Fourth Annual GENYOUth Galabration Celebrates Those Who "Rise By Lifting Others!

Special guest CBS Sports Studio Host and CBS News Special Correspondent James "J.B." Brown, Sports and Entertainment Stars to Join Top CEO's at December 4th event

(Black PR Wire) NEW YORK, -- GENYOUth, a leading youth health and wellness nonprofit dedicated to creating healthy school communities, will be hosting its fourth annual fundraising gala on Wednesday, December 4th at 6:30 P.M. at the American Museum of Natural History. This year's theme "Rise By Lifting Others!" embraces the importance and value of mentoring, inspiring, challenging and investing in youth to help them achieve their personal best. Special guests will include James "J.B." Brown, noted CBS Sports Studio Host and CBS News Special Correspondent, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Minnesota Vikings President and Co-Owner Mark Wilf, Famed Chef and TV Personality Carla Hall, Thrive Global Founder and CEO Arianna Huffington, NFL Hall of Fame Lineman Anthony Munoz, Journalist Katie Couric, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Boxer Claressa Shields along with NFL owners and players, CEO's and entertainment personalities. The Gala is where the organization annually presents their prestigious Vanguard Award to an individual whose commitment, passion and support enable young people to be change agents for their health and wellness and, by extension, their success in academics and in life. Kevin Warren, Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and former Chief Operations Officer for The Minnesota Vikings is the recipient this year.

"Our Gala highlights and celebrates the strides GENYOUth has made in supporting the development of healthy, high-achieving students," said Alexis Glick, GENYOUth CEO. "We proudly recognize our corporate, foundation and individual partners who make our programs possible, and there is no better occasion than our most important fundraiser of the year to honor those individuals who demonstrate every day the leadership role that GENYOUth serves in our school communities by helping more students 'Rise By Lifting Others.' Our 2019 Vanguard Award recipient Kevin Warren embodies GENYOUth's mission, and Gala theme, through his dedicated engagement and commitment to advancing our programming."

"GENYOUth represents so many of the attributes that I have followed in life, especially because I believe that we can all 'Rise By Lifting Others' through how we mentor and serve others within our schools and communities," said Kevin Warren, new Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. "In my work with GENYOUth as COO of The Minnesota Vikings, I was impressed with how well their program curriculum advocated so many of the fundamentals that I personally applied to overcome physical challenges in my youth, mainly through perseverance and by having individuals -- in all aspects of my life -- who genuinely cared and demonstrated an interest in my health and well-being. Physical activity, healthy eating and leadership development have influenced how Greta and I have raised our children, Peri and Powers, and through my involvement with GENYOUth, I have been able to experience and share those practices in their programming with our nation's underserved youth. I am gratified by that opportunity and humbled to now receive their Vanguard Award." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will present Warren with the Vanguard Award at the December 4th Gala, in addition to Steven Williams, President of PepsiCo Foods North America. PepsiCo was the recipient of GENYOUth's 2018 Vanguard Award.

"As a founding board member of GENYOUth, I've witnessed firsthand the impactful results of its mission to create healthier school communities for our nation's youth. Kevin has always been a visionary leader of consequence advancing that mission by empowering and mentoring this next generation of leaders. Kevin's personal dedication and commitment through his support of GENYOUth as COO of The Vikings demonstrated to the League and to our clubs the exceptional importance and sheer power of investing in our teams local communities, and is evident today in how our teams continue to engage and mentor millions of students through GENYOUth's flagship program Fuel Up to Play 60. Now, as Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, Kevin is spreading that spirit to a new group of student athletes," said Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner.

The funds raised through the Galabration support GENYOUth's initiatives, including Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's largest in-school wellness program impacting 38 million students daily, and its social entrepreneurship program, AdVenture Capital (AdCap), and provide Grab and Go School Breakfast Carts which tackle food insecurity in high-need school communities and scholarship support for students to attend the organization's annual youth leadership event. The evening would not be possible without the generous commitments made by Corteva Agriscience, UnitedHealthcare, Alight Solutions and TD Ameritrade.

Vanguard Award Recipient Kevin Warren

Perseverance and fortitude are at the core of Kevin Warren's personal and professional accomplishments. Interested in sports at a young age, Warren was struck by a car as a boy and told he may never be able to walk again. Doctors suggested aquatic rehabilitation exercises may be his only hope at recovery. Warren dedicated himself to swimming and recovery and was recruited to play college basketball for the University of Pennsylvania, and later earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Warren received his MBA from Arizona State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Notre Dame Law School. Warren's first role in the NFL began at the St. Louis Rams, rising through the front office to become the Vice President of Football Administration. Warren joined the Detroit Lions in 2001, as the Senior VP of Business Operations and General Council. Warren was named the Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer for the Minnesota Vikings in 2005, before becoming the Chief Operating Officer of the team and the highest-ranking African-American executive working on the business side for a team, and the first African American Chief Operations Officer in NFL History. In 2007, Warren was appointed to the NFL's working group on emergency planning, and in 2013, was named by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a member of the NFL Committee on Workplace Diversity. Warren was named the sixth Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference in September and will fully assume the role when Commissioner Jim Delany officially steps down on January 1, 2020.

Galabration Activities and Corporate Support

During this year's Galabration, GENYOUth will also present the first annual GENNY awards, recognizing individuals from a variety of academic, agriculture, athletic and professional fields for their commitment to youth wellness. The recipients of these awards will be announced "live" at the December 4th event. The evening's activities will also include a special "purple"carpet welcome, networking and a dinner reception, dessert and awards program, and a special "Rise By Lifting Others" panel discussion featuring Fortune 500 CEO's and NFL greats moderated by James, J.B. Brown.

GENYOUth's Galabration is supported by leaders and businesses from various fields including food, fitness, technology, media, sports and agriculture who encourage and invest in students to become the stewards of their own healthy, high-achieving futures.

This year's 2019 Galabration would not be possible without the dedication and tireless commitment of GENYOUth's Board of Directors and Host Committee members which includes Thomas Gallagher, CEO Dairy Management Inc.; Alexis Glick, CEO GENYOUth; Roger Goodell, Commissioner NFL; Audrey Donahoe, Chair, National Dairy Council; Richard Edelman, CEO, Edelman; Carla Hall, Famed Chef, Author and TV Personality; Howie Long Commentator for FOX Sports and NFL Hall of Fame Inductee; Jeff Miller, EVP Health and Safety for the NFL; Steven H. Nelson, Former CEO, UnitedHealthcare; Donald "DJ" Paoni, President SAP North America, Claressa Shields, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Boxer, Undisputed Middleweight Champion of the World; DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director, NFL Players Association; Selwyn Vickers, M.D., Dean, University of Alabama School of Medicine; Honorable Tom Vilsack, President and CEO, U.S. Dairy Export Council, Former Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture; Russell Weiner, COO and President of the Americas, Domino's; Chris Michalak, CEO, Alight Solutions; Dana Bolden, Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Sustainability at Corteva Agriscience, and Dr. David Satcher, 16th U.S. Surgeon General Emeritus.

About GENYOUth

GENYOUth is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that empowers students to create a healthier future for themselves and their peers by convening a network of private and public partners to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives that bolster healthy, high-achieving students, schools and communities nationwide. We believe that all students are change-agents who deserve the opportunity to identify and lead innovative solutions that positively impact nutrition, physical activity, and student success. GENYOUth has had Fuel Up to Play 60 and Adventure Capital programs in over 73,000 schools, reaching over 38 million students in nearly 10 years of operation. For more information about GENYOUth, visit www.genyouthnow.org.

About Corteva Agriscience

Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019 and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.2 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,500 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group, a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.

About Alight Solutions

As a leading provider of human capital solutions, we help our clients and their people navigate the complexity of health, wealth and HR. We combine data-driven, consumer-centered technology with personalized care and service to deliver a superior customer experience. Our dedicated colleagues across 28 global centers help 23 million people and their 11 million family members simplify work and life, both now and in the future. At Alight, we are reimagining how people and organizations thrive.

About TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation

TD Ameritrade provides investing services and education to approximately 12 million client accounts totaling approximately $1.3 trillion in assets, and custodial services to more than 7,000 registered investment advisors. We are a leader in U.S. retail trading, executing an average of approximately 800,000 trades per day for our clients, more than a quarter of which come from mobile devices. We have a proud history of innovation, dating back to our start in 1975, and today our team of 10,000-strong is committed to carrying it forward. Together, we are leveraging the latest in cutting edge technologies and one-on-one client care to transform lives, and investing, for the better. Learn more by visiting TD Ameritrade's newsroom at www.amtd.com, or read our stories at Fresh Accounts. Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA (www.FINRA.org) / SIPC (www.SIPC.org)