Veterans on Wall Street Presents $1 million to the Bob Woodruff Foundation - Bob Woodruff Foundation

Veterans on Wall Street Presents $1 million to the Bob Woodruff Foundation

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FUNDS RAISED BY WALL STREET FIRMS TO SUPPORT RETURNING U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS

Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS), a consortium of major financial institutions including Citi, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, will present a $1 million check to The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), the nationally-recognized nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that post-9/11 injured service members, veterans and their families are thriving long after they return home.  BWF Founders, Bob and Lee Woodruff, along with Executive Director Anne Marie Dougherty accepted the funds, which were raised by the VOWS partners and corporate supporters in connection with last Fall’s star-studded “Stand up for Heroes” event in New York City.

The three banks are founding members of VOWS, a joint initiative dedicated to honoring former military personnel and employees by facilitating career and business opportunities in the financial services industry. The funds raised will enable BWF to assist injured service members and their families. To date, BWF has invested approximately $20 million in finding, funding, and shaping nearly 100 organizations, reaching more than a million service members, support personnel, veterans, their families and caregivers.

“Our men and women in uniform deserve to return home to a nation that demonstrates its gratitude for their service and sacrifices,” said Suni Harford, Citi’s Regional Head of Markets for North America.  “Through collaborative efforts like VOWS and through Citi’s own efforts as part of the Citi Salutes initiative, it is an honor to support organizations like the Bob Woodruff Foundation that are dedicated to helping our returning service members and their families begin the next stage of their lives.”

According to Jacques Brand, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, “We are acutely aware of the need to support our returning service members and believe that our industry, along with our partners in other sectors, can make a difference in creating employment opportunities for our veterans. “To help elevate awareness for this cause, this year, the theme for Deutsche Bank’s annual PGA Golf Championship will be veterans in the workforce.”

Jeff Schroeder, Goldman Sachs’ Chief Administrative Officer and senior sponsor of the firm’s Veterans Network added, “We believe veterans possess many of the skills and character attributes we value at Goldman Sachs, which is why it is a key focus of our recruitment and philanthropic efforts. We are proud to partner with our industry peers and other corporate partners to raise awareness of these important issues and help our returning servicemen transition from the military to the civilian life.”

Since being founded in 2010, VOWS has raised more than $3.2 million to support a range of veterans service organizations. More than 40 organizations and individuals contributed to VOWS in 2013, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.; PNC; AIG; Blackrock; BNY Mellon; Credit Suisse; The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation; LCH.Clearnet Group Ltd.; Sukey and Michael Novogratz; Royal Bank of Canada; Soros Fund Management; Traiana; Veritas; Allen & Overy LLP; Allianz Global Investors; AQR Capital Management; Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP; D.S. Wolf Group International, LLC; Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP; CME Group Inc.; Drexel Hamilton, LLC; Eaton Vance Management; Eurex Group; FDM Group; Federated Investors; First Republic Bank; Michael Gelband; GoldenTree Asset Management; Suni and Woody Harford; Heidrick and Struggles International, Inc.; IntercontinentalExchange, Inc.; ING; KPMG; Legg Mason, Inc.; Lord Abbett & Co. LLC; Magnetar Capital; MetLife Inc.; MFS Investment Management; Millennium Management LLC; MKP Capital Management LLC; Nuveen Investments; NYSE Euronext Inc.; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; PIMCO; Prudential; Rick Rieder; Sapient Corporation; Shearman & Sterling LLP; Swapclear; Tudor Investment Corporation; U.S. Exchange Holdings, Inc.; White & Case LLP; Neuberger Berman Group LLC; Janus Capital Group; and Clifford Chance LLP.

Last year, VOWS hosted its third annual Veteran Employment Symposium in New York City. The conference brought together more than 300 transitioning service members and more than 400 senior leaders from over 150 companies, 20 government agencies and 30 nonprofits to share best practices for veteran recruitment in corporate and financial institutions. Featured speakers and panel participants included General Peter Pace and General Robert L. Caslen Jr.  On November 5, 2014, VOWS will host its fourth annual Symposium for both veterans and corporate participants and will once again be the presenting sponsor of the Stand up for Heroes concert at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Bob Woodruff gave the closing remarks.

About Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS)
Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS) is an initiative dedicated to honoring former military personnel and employees currently in the United States Armed Forces, National Guard and Reserves by facilitating career and business opportunities in the financial services industry. The consortium of founding member banks includes Citi, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. For more information, please visit www.veteransonwallstreet.com or follow @VeteransonWS on Twitter.

About the Bob Woodruff Foundation

The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) is the nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that injured service members, veterans and their families thrive long after they return home. A national organization with grassroots reach, the Bob Woodruff Foundation complements the work of the federal government—diligently navigating the maze of more than 40,000 nonprofits providing services to veterans—to find, fund and shape innovative programs and hold them accountable for results. To date, BWF has invested more than $20 million in public education and solutions, reaching more than 1 million service members, support personnel, veterans and their families. The Bob Woodruff Foundation was co-founded in 2006 by award-winning ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff and his family, whose experiences inspired them to help make sure the nation’s heroes have access to the highest level of support and resources they deserve, for as long as they need them. For more information about the Bob Woodruff Foundation, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org.