"While we rely heavily on all who support our important work, there are a select few whose ‘above and beyond’ leadership contributes significantly to bringing our mission to life," said Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (PRWEB) December 06, 2022
Operation Homefront, the national nonprofit serving America’s military families, has presented 2022 Cornerstone Awards to Ali Haralson, President of Auction.com, and Len McMorrow, Senior Vice President, Default Recovery & Litigation at U.S. Bank.
Operation Homefront presents the Cornerstone Award to individuals who have gone above and beyond to help Operation Homefront transform how it serves military families and delivers its mission. Much like the cornerstone of a building represents an indispensable structure, this group of notable and influential award recipients have helped provide the underpinning of support that continues to propel our critical mission to serve America’s military families forward.
“While we rely heavily on all who support our important work, there are a select few whose ‘above and beyond’ leadership contributes significantly to bringing our mission to life. I am proud to announce Ali Haralson and Len McMorrow are in this special category and have been selected as our most recent recipients of our prestigious Cornerstone Award for all they have done and continue to do to help us give our military families the opportunity to thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities – OUR communities – that they’ve worked so hard to protect,” said Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. “Ali provides a voice for military families in need of a place to call home, compelling her industry to become involved, and spearheading Auction.com’s support for our housing programs. Similarly, Len has been instrumental in leading U.S. Bank’s multi-faceted demonstration of financial and in-kind support to help our military families in need and giving them hope for a brighter future. I congratulate both of these amazing leaders for this award and their unwavering commitment to this very special and deserving group of our fellow citizens.”
About Ali Haralson – President, Auction.com
Ali joined the company in 2017, and serves as President of Auction.com. She has continued to build on our long-standing commitment to supporting military families. Her commitment to military families has remained unwavering with Auction.com, donating more than $850,000 in support of Operation Homefront’s permanent and transitional housing programs and our mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families. Annually, due to Ali’s strategic acumen, she and her team recognize the important work of Operation Homefront at the Five Star Government Forum in Washington, DC – where mortgage servicing leaders and government agencies gather to discuss the industry’s most pressing issues and work to find solutions, and at the Five Star Keys for Life Reception & Concert, honoring military veterans and their families as they prepare to begin their journeys towards homeownership. Ali also serves on the Executive Council for the Veterans Financial Services Advisory Council, an independent collaborative led by executives from housing, banking, finance, and mortgage-related companies to address the ongoing needs of veterans and their families in search of support related to housing and critical services. We are grateful for Ali’s tremendous dedication to our work and to all who serve.
About Len McMorrow, Senior Vice President, Default Recovery & Litigation at U.S. Bank
Len McMorrow has been with U.S. Bank for more than 10 years and has been a driving force in making a difference for military families. Our partnership with U.S. Bank began in 2019 and due to Len’s extraordinary leadership and vision, U.S. Bank has donated over $1.3 million in cash and in-kind to support our mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families. Our relationship commenced with the donation of a life-changing home for an Air Force Veteran and family, in Nevada, as a part of our Permanent Homes for Veteran program and continues to evolve. Since 2020, through U.S. Bank’s Driven to Serve program and Len’s oversight, a remarkable 21 vehicles have been donated to Operation Homefront families in need and through U.S. Bank’s home repair program, eight Operation Homefront families to date have been assisted with critical home repairs. Incredibly, all of this was done through the pandemic, ensuring that our military families were not forgotten. In addition, Len’s commitment to these families did not stop there. Each year, he and his team have continued to honor and recognize these families through U.S. Bank’s Always Remember initiative, with gift cards and more for groceries, fuel, clothing, and other essential home items. Len is dedicated to the communities U.S. Bank serves and understands the need for and importance of giving back to those who have done so much for our country, our military families.
The Cornerstone Award was instituted in 2015. Previous recipients include:
Gina Collins – former Chief Marketing Officer, Outback Steakhouse
Kathy Cox – former Senior Manager, Walmart Foundation
Chelle Davis – former Manager, Investor Relations, Dollar Tree
Loren Dorshow – Executive Director, Car Donation Foundation
Ed Delgado – former CEO, The Five Star Group
Camille Jenkins - former Vice President National Customer Relations, Meritage Homes Corporation
Jenny Jonker – Brand Experience Manager, General Mills
John Kitchens – Director of Corporate Citizenship, CSX Corporation
Marc Knowles - Global Military Team Leader, P&G
Jamie Little – Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, Employer Brand and Corporate Social Responsibility, Choice Hotels
Peter McGuinness – former President and COO, Chobani
Mike Monroe - Director, Veterans Initiatives, A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
Tony Montalto – President and COO, The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation
Heather Prill - Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Programs, The Home Depot Foundation
Ken Ruff - former VP, National Accounts, Beam Suntory
Rusty Smallwood - former AVP REO-Manager, JPMorgan Chase
Emily Weaver, Brand Partnerships, Chevrolet Customer Influence
Jim Zeumer, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at PulteGroup
About Operation Homefront
Celebrating 20 years of serving America’s military families, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 88 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.