- Chris Meek
-
Chris Meek 
Born September 30, 1970
Elmira, New York, U.S.Residence Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. Alma mater Syracuse University and Pace University Political party Republican Religion Presbyterian Spouse Christine Meek; 3 children Website Meek for Congress Christopher Douglas Meek (born September 30, 1970) is a philanthropist and American businessman. Meek is a Financial Services Executive and is the founder and Chairman of START Now![1] and Soldiersocks. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Yerwood Center (Stamford, Connecticut) and Career Resources[2] (Bridgeport, Connecticut). He currently serves as Chairman of the Development Committee and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at St Luke's LifeWorks[3] and is the past Chairman of the Life Long Learning Committee. Meek is also currently serving as the Commissioner on Stamford's Urban Redevelopment Commission [4]
Contents
Early life
Meek was born in 1970 in Elmira, New York to Douglas and Camille Meek. After his parents divorced in 1972 and after a brief time in Florida, Meek and his mother moved back to Elmira, NY and lived with his grandparents, George and Marion Giroux, until 1981. They were instrumental in raising Meek while his mother worked during the day and attended Elmira College at night, where she would go on to earn her Bachelor's Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology.
Education
Meek attended and graduated from Elmira Free Academy. In 1992, Meek graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Syracuse University)[5] A member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Meek earned a degree in Financial Management at Pace University (New York, New York) and later graduated with a MBA in 1999. While attending Syracuse University, he interned for U.S. Senator Al D'Amato from 1990-1992 in his Syracuse Regional Office. This internship led to Senator D’Amato asking Meek to take a senior role in his Central New York Re-Election campaign committee during the 1992 Senatorial Race against New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams. D'Amato defeated Abrams.
Career
After graduating from Syracuse University during the recession of 1992, Meek worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Syracuse, NY from 1992-93. He worked for Dean Witter Reynolds from 1993-95. In October 1995, Meek moved from Syracuse to New York City and began working for Hull Trading Company, a Chicago-based options market-making firm. In July 1999, Hull was acquired by Goldman Sachs and Company. Meek ran the firms’ floor-based trading operations from 1999-2002. Since, Meek has served as a Financial Services Executive in New York City.
Community activism
In April 2009, Meek held his first in a series of loan modification events at the Yerwood Center in Stamford.[6] The event consisted of five banks and several agencies offering foreclosure assistance. The program enabled 36 families to modify their mortgage, avoid going into foreclosure and losing their homes.[7] Meek created the not-for-profit START Now! in May 2009.[8] The program has grown to include major banks such as HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and CitiMortgage (Citigroup). Regional banks such as Webster, People's United Bank and NewAlliance Bank and agencies like the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Urban League of Southern Connecticut, Money Management International, Catholic Charities, the Housing Development Fund, Mutual Housing Association of Southwestern Connecticut and Mediation Specialists from the Fairfield Judicial District and the Connecticut State Department of Banking have all participated. START Now! holds job readiness workshops helping participants prepare resumes and cover letters, learn how to apply for jobs online and hone their interviewing skills through videotaping mock interviews. The organization also hosted a Green Jobs Fair in conjunction with Norwalk Community College. START Now! is a not-for-profit organization designed to help individuals and families become self-sufficient by educating and providing them with the support and opportunities available in society and allowing them to become thriving members of the community. To date, the program has shown both success and growth, having helped over 250 families and banks avoid foreclosure.[7] In 2011, START Now! was the proud recipient of the prestigious Presidential Call-To-Service Volunteer Service Award (President's Volunteer Service Award) by President Barack Obama.
In July 2009 Meek received a request asking for help in obtaining hygienic items for our American soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. This led him to create the not-for-profit, SoldierSocks.com[9] provides people a way to donate so our men and women serving in the Middle East can obtain simple items like socks and baby wipes. So far, Soldier Socks has shipped more than 35,000 pounds of necessities to more than 40 units serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.[10] As SoldierSocks.com expanded, new opportunities arose. In 2010, SoldierSanta.com was launched with the aim of delivering holiday gifts to soldiers abroad.
Politics
On August 24, 2010, Meek was sworn in to a 3-year term by Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia as Commissioner on the City's Urban Redevelopment Committee (URC).[11] The URC provides leadership for the continuing revitalization of the City. Working in collaboration with the community, the Commission focuses on rehabilitating blighted areas: balancing population density and socio-economic diversity; promoting convenient affordable housing; enhancing pedestrian presence; improving the availability of suitable parking; expanding the job and tax base; and ensuring the attractiveness of buildings, open areas and urban infrastructure. In October 2011, Chris was awarded the 2011 March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award.[12]
On October 17, 2011 Meek announced his candidacy to represent the people of Connecticut's 4th Congressional District[13]. Meek had previously been mentioned[14] as a potential candidate for the United States Senate in 2012. Connecticut Magazine's inaugural [15] "40 under 40" honoring the state's next generation of leaders named Meek as one of the forty new young leaders who are "full of energy, ideas and the determination to steer an unswerving course into the future".
References
- ^ START Now!
- ^ http://www.careerresources.org
- ^ http://www.stlukeslifeworks.org
- ^ http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/50/2234/default.aspx.
- ^ Maxwell School of Syracuse University
- ^ "US clutches at straws of recovery"
- ^ a b "Together we can accomplish anything"
- ^ "Goldman Sachs' exec brings foreclosure counseling show to Bridgeport"
- ^ http://www.stamfordplus.com/stm/information/nws1/publish/News_1/Fedele-to-help-local-group-pack-items-for-troops6816.shtml
- ^ http://www.thedailystamford.com/neighbors/stamford-charity-soldiers
- ^ http://www.ci.stamford.ct.us/content/25/50/2234/default.aspx.
- ^ http://www.marchofdimes.com/connecticut/1498_27480.asp
- ^ http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Activist-starts-4th-District-campaign-2275088.php
- ^ Roll Call reference to Chris Meek
- ^ http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/March-2011/40-Under-40/index.php?cparticle=8&siarticle=7
Categories:- 1970 births
- American businesspeople
- American philanthropists
- American Presbyterians
- Living people
- Syracuse University alumni
- Pace University alumni
- Connecticut Republicans
- People from Elmira, New York
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