The talent at the top of the United Way of Southwest Michigan is not going unnoticed on the global stage. In fact, two key players on the team have drawn recent assignments to a major new United Way Worldwide Task Force, including the local CEO & President Anna Murphy.
Murphy has been selected to join the newly formed United Way Worldwide Business Strategy Task Force, while her Vice President of Strategy, Rachel Wade has been tapped to join the Network Decision Making Workstream, within the Task Force that Murphy will serve on.
The Business Strategy Task Force was just established last month by the Board of Trustees of United Way Worldwide to give voice to local United Ways in decisions around strategies, initiatives, and investments that impact them. Three existing Transformation Workstreams—Decision Making, Local Market Segmentation, and Mergers & Combinations—will become more formal endeavors under the Business Strategy Task Force.
Murphy was chosen to represent mid-sized United Ways. The 20 United Way CEOs on the task force were selected by their peers to represent the entire worldwide network.
Murphy says, “I’m honored to be named to the Business Strategy Task Force and looking forward to the important work we are going to do,” while adding, “United Ways and the marketplaces in which we operate are facing ever-changing influences, and it’s crucial to assess the current network business model and strategies and address gaps in equitable, transparent engagement across the network with models that clearly define the roles and responsibilities for United Way Worldwide and local United Ways.”
Rachel Wade, Vice President of Strategy for United Way of Southwest Michigan, was selected to join the Network Decision Making Workstream, which falls under the purview of the Business Strategy Task Force to which Murphy now belongs. That workstream will co-create the framework and governance of how United Way Worldwide comes together with local United Ways to make decisions, drive innovation, and align around strategy and execution at the network level.
Wade says, “With these groups, United Ways have a tremendous opportunity to re-evaluate the network business model, create a more collaborative framework for decision-making, and strengthen how the network works together with stronger alignment around roles, values, and strategies for growth and efficiency. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get started.”
The collective work is designed to help strengthen the United Way network and drive all United Ways toward a shared mission and goals.
In the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market, Murphy is shown second from the right along with (left to right) Congressman Fred Upton, Blossomtime Festival President Anna Abdelnour, Murphy, and Michigan State Representative Pauline Wendzel.
