Cincinnati (March 23, 2016) – The Salvation Army announced today that it bestowed a special honor upon a long-serving Cincinnati Advisory Board member who has served more than 30 years. Christopher (Chris) MacConnell was honored as a Life Member on the Advisory Board. The honor was bestowed by Colonel William Bamford, Salvation Army Chief Secretary, at the March 16th meeting of the Cincinnati Advisory Board.
“We’re deeply grateful to Chris for his commitment to our mission in the local community,” stated Major Larry Ashcraft, Divisional Commander at The Salvation Army. “We can only serve those most-in-need in Greater Cincinnati through the support, guidance and energy we receive from long-standing Advisory Board members like Chris. He has provided a tremendous level of support through his time, talent and treasure, making an immeasurable impact on the thousands of lives we impact each year.”
Chris MacConnell, president of Thomson-MacConnell Cadillac, has served 31 years on the local Advisory Board. Among his many talents, The Salvation Army has been blessed with Chris’ visionary leadership and ‘out of the box’ thinking. Chris, along with long-serving Board member and friend Dick Manteuffel, has often challenged local Salvation Army leadership to consider new opportunities and possibilities. Together, Chris and Dick have been a ‘dynamic duo’ that led to many positive and life-changing expansions and enhancements at local facilities, particularly at Camp SWONEKY and the Booth residences. In addition to these important contributions, Chris brought leadership and personal engagement in the creation of a baseball diamond at camp, named in honor of friend and fellow Advisory Board member Thomas (Tom) Dewey. Chris has been a long-standing financial contributor to local fundraising efforts, and brought leadership and creativity to the kettle sponsorship program. He received the William Booth Award, among The Salvation Army’s highest honors, in 2006 for his exemplary service, and has now been honored with a Life Member status.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to http://www.salvationarmycincinnati.org.
# # #