Genesys Works Welcomes Three Board Members and Names New Chairman

April 5, 2021

News

(From L to R) Marylean Abney, Peggy Krendl, Richard Rawson and Daniel C. Ryan.

Top executives bring wealth of leadership and experience to support nonprofit in advancing economic opportunities that make career aspirations a reality for all youth

HOUSTON, TX (April 6, 2021) — Genesys Works, a national workforce development program that connects high school students from underserved neighborhoods to paid internships with major companies, today welcomed Marylean Abney, Peggy Krendl and Daniel C. Ryan to its board of directors and named Richard Rawson as Chairman. Richard, who joined the Genesys Works board in 2013, succeeds Douglas Butler, who served as Chairman for six years and passed away in February. 

“We are pleased to welcome these new members to our board,” said Jeff Artis, President and CEO of Genesys Works. “The addition of their individual experiences, skills and perspectives will further enhance and position our efforts to advance equity and career opportunities for all youth, regardless of their background, achieving our goal of sustainable economic mobility”. 

Marylean Abney is Vice President of Finance and Administration of Purtec, Inc., the world’s first cybernetic purification network headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. She serves as the company’s Finance, IT and Operational Excellence champion.   Over her extensive career, she has directed several corporate transformations delivering process enhancements while bolstering customer value and maximizing shareholder return. Previously she worked at United States Steel and Caterpillar Inc., serving in roles as Division CFO, Strategy and Transformation Executive and Head of Global Business Services. In addition to serving on the Board of Genesys Works, she currently serves as Finance Committee Chair of the Eureka College Board of Trustees and is a member of the Wildlife Prairie Park Board.  She previously served as Board President of Peoria Promise and Board Chairman of Citizen’s Equity First Credit Union. 

Peggy Krendl leads the energy, chemicals and natural resources business in Accenture’s Strategy and Consulting practice across the 15-state South market unit. She has more than 25 years of experience managing large-scale business transformation programs. She has led finance transformation programs, implemented shared services and managed mergers and acquisitions. A passionate advocate for youth, Peggy has been involved with Genesys Works since 2007. At Accenture, she has led pro bono projects supporting the nonprofit’s site selections and a national strategy, as well as helps coordinate internships and job experience opportunities for Genesys students. 

Richard Rawson, retired President of Insperity, was a director of the company from 1989-2018. He served as President starting in August of 2003. Before being elected President, he served as Executive Vice President of Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company since 1989. Prior to joining Insperity in 1989, Richard served as a Senior Financial Officer and Controller for several companies in the manufacturing and seismic data processing industries. He is the past President of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (“NAPEO”). In addition to serving as a member of Genesys Works’ board of directors, he currently serves on the Executive Advisory Committee of the Bauer College Board of the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston and the Board of Visitors at the University of Houston.

Daniel C. Ryan is Group Chief Commercial Officer for ISS A/S and Chief Executive Officer for the ISS Americas Region. He is also a member of the ISS Executive Group Management team. In his regional and global leadership roles, Daniel is committed to developing diverse talent and creating inclusive opportunities for colleagues and candidates from all backgrounds. Since his appointment as Americas CEO in 2016, Daniel has been responsible for shaping the strategic and financial direction for the region, one of the most important global markets for facility services. He led the successful acquisition of the ISS U.S. food division in 2017. In 2020, Daniel was appointed Chief Commercial Officer for ISS Group. Before joining ISS, He was Regional CEO Asia & Middle East and a member of the Group Executive Committee for G4S. He previously spent more than 20 years with global logistics and transportation company American President Lines (APL), where he held senior management positions in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

For more than 20 years, Genesys Works has provided pathways to career success and economic mobility for thousands of high school students across the country—the majority of whom are first-generation American and people of color. Participants complete training in business technology and are matched to paid, meaningful year-long internships with top employers during their senior year of high school. During that time, they gain corporate experience, earn up to $15,000, build a professional network and drive meaningful change within major corporations. 

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About Genesys Works

Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences, and impactful relationships. Our program consists of 8 weeks of technical and professional skills training, paid year-long corporate internships, college and career coaching, and alumni support to and through college. Our goal is to move more students out of economic inequality and into professional careers, creating a more productive and diverse workforce in the process. Since its founding in 2002, Genesys Works has grown to serve thousands of students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington’s National Capital Region and New York City. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.

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