COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption announced today that Joe Turner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Sun Management, has been elected as chair of its board of trustees.
Turner formerly served as vice chair and has been a member of the Foundation's board since 2007. He has been a Wendy's® franchise owner for 40 years and currently owns 20 stores.
"This is a thrill for me," Turner said. "What Dave Thomas experienced as a child led him to create an organization that could help children nationwide, and today the work of the Foundation is doing exactly that. I am proud to be named the chair of the Foundation's board of trustees and will do everything I can to promote its mission and to continue its unprecedented success in finding forever families for children in foster care."
Through its signature program, Wendy's Wonderful Kids®, the Foundation provides funding and establishes innovative co-investment partnerships with states to hire adoption recruiters who implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model. This model has been proven to be up to three times more effective at finding adoptive homes for children who have been lingering in foster care the longest.
"Joe's support of our work both personally and professionally speaks to his commitment to achieving the vision that every child will have a permanent, loving home," said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. "From serving on board committees to building support for the Foundation throughout the Wendy's family, Joe is always ready to do what he can to support the continued expansion of our Wendy's Wonderful Kids program."
Turner is a graduate of Clemson University and resides in Clemson, South Carolina with his wife, Cathy.
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About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated exclusively to finding permanent homes for the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.
Media Contact
Mary Ellen Smalley, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 614-264-4319, [email protected]
SOURCE Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

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