Lee Hornick is the Founder and Chief Program Director of Business Communications World-wide, a business conference and webinar development and sponsorship organization. He has produced worldwide conferences for organizations that focus on a variety of business issues and trends, with topics including marketing, branding, corporate communication, change management, employee benefits communication, crisis and issues management, corporate image and reputation, and social media. Lee has worked with companies in every major industry sector, senior communication and marketing exec-utives from Fortune 500 companies, and top business consultants. He has also written articles on corporate branding and reputation and has served as a senior corporate commu-nication executive with the J.C. Penney Company. Lee received the IABC Chairman Award and IABC Research Foundation Friends Award and is an IABC Fellow.
Lee recently joined AIR’s Taste of Hope event planning committee and the group recognized the additional value he would provide as a member of the Board of Trustees.
AIR: How and why did you get involved with AIR?
Lee Hornick: It all started at a Princeton Chamber of Commerce breakfast when I met Kurt Baker, Co-founder of Attitudes in Reverse. We briefly discussed his mental health and suicide prevention charity. I then met with his wife Tricia Baker, Co-founder, at their office in Princeton. I was so impressed with their commit-ment to reach out to middle and high school students that I decided to join the group as a volunteer for the annual Taste of Hope event.
I am a strong believer in volunteering for a meaningful and worthy cause. Attitudes in Reverse (AIR) and their focus on suicide prevention through mental health education is extremely important to me and our society.
I believe my business background in communication, marketing and sponsorship will assist AIR in many ways. I understand why companies want to sponsor and align themselves with important causes.
Over the years, I have been involved with the United Way, Annual Blood Drives and Literacy Volunteers. Additionally, I served as Chapter President of the International Association of Business Communicators in New York City and Vice President of Programming and Sponsorship for the American Marketing Association.
AIR: What is your vision for AIR and your role as a Board member?
LH: My vision is to spread the importance of Attitudes in Reverse to help it grow and flourish. I see myself as a highly engaged and active Board member who publicly advocates for a community of under-standing, kindness and empathy through mental health education and awareness. Moreover, I will be very active in a variety of fundraising activities, selecting Champions of Hope honorees for the Taste of Hopeevent, reaching various corporations to promote AIR to their employees, and creating special events with corporations in New Jersey to build brand awareness. Overall, I see myself as a corporate fundraiser for AIR and the annual Taste of Hopeevent.
AIR: What impact do you see that AIR is having and will potentially have in the future?
LH: AIR is more important than ever to open dialogue and remove the sigma of mental health issues for middle and high school students. Tricia Baker offers many programs that, when combined, remind students throughout the year that there are many people – perhaps their friends, family members or classmates – who may be living each day with mental health disorders. Through AIR’s efforts, we will showcase the importance of always being kind – no matter what people’s differences are. We must understand that NO ONE CHOOSES to have a mental health disorder. I am sure that, thanks to the efforts of AIR, mental health education will improve under-standing and reduce suicides.
Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Taste of Hope event is being postponed. Stay tuned for details.
