Diane Schwarz, Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Textron, Inc. Joins NPower’s National Board of Directors
Brooklyn, New York (PRWEB) January 31, 2017 -- NPower, a national nonprofit that provides free IT training and job placement for veterans and young adults from underserved communities, announces today that Diane Schwarz joins the national Board of Directors. Schwarz is Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Textron, Inc. Her responsibilities include leadership of the business units’ chief information officers and directing the day-to-day activities of Textron corporate information services. She chairs Textron’s Information Management Council and oversees Textron’s information technology supplier and outsourcing relationships.
“Diane is forward-thinking when it comes to identifying and developing new technology talent and we are very pleased to have her join our national leadership team and deepen her affiliation with NPower,” said Dan Petrozzo, Chairman of NPower’s Board of Directors. “As a member of the North Texas Advisory Board for the past few years, she has advocated on NPower’s behalf to encourage local corporations to expand their hiring purview to include the well-qualified veterans who have completed our accelerated training program.”
“I am a big believer in the internship component of NPower programs and I urge any company looking for IT staff to consider participating as a way to even the playing field for those who have honorably served our country” said Diane Schwarz. “An internship is a way to evaluate the caliber of tech professionals that NPower produces; a two-month interview in a sense; and I have the utmost faith in their ability to perform.” Schwarz was recruited for the board of directors because of her commitment to the regional program in North Texas as well as her strong foothold in the industry.
“We will also be looking to Diane and Textron to advance our curriculum as they are both leaders in technology and also employers of NPower graduates,” said Bertina Ceccarelli, Chief Executive Officer of NPower. “Diane has already offered substantial input on the curriculum for our new coding class which we launched in our North Texas region. The new program, along with Diane’s board appointment, speaks to the commitment we have to veterans across North Texas.”
Prior to joining Textron, Schwarz was VP of information services at Sonitrol and held other technology leadership positions at Honeywell, Ultrak and Steelcase. She joined Textron in 2007 as the director of information technology services and support for Bell Helicopter. She holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
About NPower
NPower creates pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for military veterans and young adults from underserved communities. We empower under-represented talent to pursue tech futures by teaching the digital and professional skills demanded by the marketplace, and engaging corporations, volunteers and nonprofits in the long-term success of our students.
Over 80% of NPower graduates are employed full time or enrolled in higher education within one year of completing our program, which is offered at no cost to qualified students.
NPower envisions a future where our domestic technology workforce is diverse, and clear pathways exist for all people regardless of ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic background to succeed in our digital economy.
For more information, visit NPower.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Off Road, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information visit: http://www.textron.com.
Kathryn Harriman, NPower, http://npower.org, +1 212-444-7245, [email protected]
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