Award Speech by Cindy Burrell for the Chicago Association of Minority Recruiters (CAMR) 9-29-2011

Thank you so much for honoring me with this award. Many people in this room have inspired me including Greg Hinton who is always reaching out to do more to improve our world!

Before I tell you about my new business venture, Diversity in Boardrooms, I’d like to recognize three people in my life who exhibit COURAGE. And I am going to ask them to stand up.

My husband, John, who broke his neck in two places in a terrible accident in 2008, worked diligently and with COURAGE to fully recover and return to a normal life as well as bike racing.

And I want to recognize our two sons, Matt and Mark, who are Army Reserve Journalists as well as Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Both sons continue to exhibit COURAGE in finding ways to create peace through journalism while standing up and protecting our country.

John, Matt and Mark: Thank you.

I am excited to continue my work in recruiting women and minorities through a new business, Diversity in Boardrooms, a unique search firm exclusively focused on corporate and advisory boards. Our firm will recruit and refer women and minority directors to existing boards, and we will create INCLUSIVE Advisory Boards for both private and public companies. COURAGE is one important quality that we will look for in referring board directors. We expect board directors to listen to their conscience and to make decisions that benefit all stakeholders: the employees, the investors, and the community. COURAGE, Talent, and Diversity are all qualities that reflect our American strengths.

Thank you for honoring my efforts in making a difference for our country by adding diversity, COURAGE and excellence to corporate and advisory boards.