New Book Provides A Blueprint for Mobilizing America's CEOs to Solve the Toughest Problems Facing America's Cities

Ground-breaking Insight, Accessible Content and Real-World Application Combine to Revolutionize Corporate Social Responsibility

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 11, 2008 -- As financial turmoil in the markets continues, and violent crime, the loss of jobs and the housing crisis overwhelm America's cities, there is an army of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) that remain committed to rolling up their sleeves and leveraging their private-sector influence and financial resources to improve the quality of life for all Americans. Across America, these corporate leaders are working with the government, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to solve such issues as public education finance reform, affordable housing, job creation and retention and the prevention of youth violence.

Dr. Michael McAfee's book, entitled "CEOs As Volunteer Leaders: A Case Study of Public Private Partnership Involving The Chicago Housing authority's Plan for Transformation," by Verlag Dr. Müller (VDM) Publishing House, provides an understanding of the way private-sector CEOs impact major community and economic development initiatives and determines whether or not these initiatives are positively served by CEO leadership. The case study's context is the Chicago Housing Authority's Plan for Transformation (the Plan). The Plan represents the largest reconstruction of public housing in the nation's history. The study found that the CEOs are positively impacting the Plan by sharing and leveraging their time, money, intelligence, and social capital and that those CEOs have primarily social motives for participating in the Plan.

Additionally, major stakeholders involved with the Plan perceived the CEO roles as providing leadership, assisting in fundraising, setting policy, guiding the Plan, and serving as mentors. These findings are having a significant impact on how leaders within the government, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors are choosing to position and deploy CEOs. Highlights from the book include the following: Conclusions: (1) all stakeholders must be committed beyond five years, (2) private-sector CEOs must continue answering the call to greatness, (3) civic entrepreneurship is solving major social problems, (4) strong interpersonal relationships leads to sustained social progress.

Recommendations: (1) a transformative vision will trump uncertainty and controversy, (2) replace short-term acts of generosity with long-term acts of strategic investment, (3) design community supports with your family in mind, and (4) walk among the people you are privileged to serve.

The book is available online at Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/CEOs-Volunteer-Leaders-Michael-McAfee/dp/3639074874/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221604120&sr=1-1

Dr. McAfee has spent the past 18 years serving as a social entrepreneur in the government, philanthropic, and human-service sectors. He has collaborated with foundations, nonprofits, municipalities, states and federal agencies to create more than 3,000 units of affordable housing and 5,000 jobs and ensure that more than 100,000 families receive social services. He has also provided management and fund-raising consultation to more than 700 persons and 574 grassroots faith- and community-based organizations. His partnership with the White House and HUD's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives has resulted in thousands of nonprofit organizations accessing more than $1 billion in federal resources.

Dr. McAfee currently serves as a senior community planning and development representative in the Chicago Regional Office of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He manages a housing, community and economic development portfolio of approximately $100 million. He has expertise with the following entitlement and competitive programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) and Youthbuild. He is also an instructor in HUD's Leadership Development Program. Prior to joining HUD, Dr. McAfee served in senior management positions within a nationally recognized community foundation and youth-development organization.

In February, 2007 he launched SimplePath, Inc. (www.simplepath.org), a for-profit social enterprise that uses volunteer service and self reflection as tools to assist families with developing a tradition of philanthropy. Through SimplePath, he is mobilizing thousands of families to participate in making the world a better place!

If you would like more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Dr. McAfee, please call him at 1-800-653-0602 ext. 1 or email him at mmcafee @ simplepath.org.

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