Big Business as Partners: Understanding What's In It for Them

Presenters:

Heather Bischoff
Senior Service Coordinator/Center Director
National Church Residences
Indianapolis, IN

Heather Bischoff is the senior services coordinator for Green Park Terrace, a National Church Residences community located in south Indianapolis. National Church Residences is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality affordable housing for older adults. Bischoff’s vision and creative thinking helped establish The Knowledge Center@the Terrace, a Neighborhood Networks center that hosts Generations on Line among many other activities and programs for older adults. Much of Bischoff’s success can be attributed to the fact that she is very connected and involved locally, regionally, and statewide. She is on the planning committee for the Indianapolis Salutes Older Americans event, now in its fourth year, and is the chair and event coordinator for the Marion County TRIAD, an organization bringing together older adults, law enforcement, and service providers. Bischoff has been instrumental in the development of the highly acclaimed Project Lifesaver, a program designed to safeguard individuals with conditions that cause them to wander away from caregivers. Bischoff’s involvement in numerous local community organizations for older adults has earned her recognition by community leaders as an advocate in the aging market.

Penny Johnson
Vice President and Senior Community Development Officer
Wachovia Corporation

Penny Johnson began her career as a bank teller and steadily rose through the ranks to her current position as vice president and senior community development officer for Wachovia Corporation. With 22 years of professional experience, Johnson manages the central and eastern Virginia markets and Wachovia’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) goals. She manages the company’s market penetration rates in affordable mortgage lending, CRA business lending, service, and investments. She also works to increase the company’s brand recognition in the community. Johnson is a member of the Virginia Fair Housing Board, Virginia Supportive Housing Board of Directors, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority HomeNet Committee, Bryant and Stratton College Advisory Board Committee, and Virginia Governor’s Housing Planning Committee. She is the former president and current director-at-large of the Richmond Chapter of Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC). Penny received her bachelor’s degree from High Point University in High Point, North Carolina.

Charima Young
Neighborhood Networks Project Associate
BCT Partners

Charima Young serves as project coordinator for the Neighborhood Networks consortia and partnership development team. In this capacity, Young builds partnerships with thriving national organizations that offer Neighborhood Networks centers a variety of resources, including grants, technology, workforce training, Internet connectivity, special education, and soft skills training. Young has more than 10 years of sales and marketing experience. Her relationship-building skills have been acquired through extensive network training as an INROADS alumna, training in sales and marketing, and her entrepreneurial ventures as a licensed realtor. Young applies her experience in branding and niche marketing to community development and national partnerships. Young previously worked as a resident coordinator and director for six Atlanta Housing Authority properties and established local community partnerships and collaborations with several companies and organizations. Young holds a master’s degree in public policy.