Phoenix Rescue Mission announced its new board chair and board of directors for 2014 during its most recent board meeting held on Jan. 16. Mary O’Hanlon will serve as board chair alongside the 14-member board, including three newly elected members.

Since 1952, Phoenix Rescue Mission has been providing Christ-centered, life-transforming solutions to persons facing hunger and homelessness. O’Hanlon and the new board will work to increase public support of the Mission’s many programs designed to save lives, including Hope Coach Street Outreach, Homeless Emergency Services, Men’s Addiction Recovery Program and the Changing Lives Center for Women and Children.

O’Hanlon, a Paradise Valley resident, previously served as the Mission’s 2013 board vice chair and she has been an active member of the nonprofit’s board for six years. She spent nearly 30 years as founder and president of Barclay Communications, a full-service public relations firm, representing clients on a local, regional and national basis.  The agency’s Feature Film and Entertainment division managed more than 10 motion picture studios and other high profile accounts for several Southwestern states. Under her leadership, Barclay Communications grew to be one of Phoenix’s top agencies, with a client roster that included Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures, Cirque du Soleil; WWE, Connections Academy, KSLX-FM, KUPD-FM, KDKB-FM, Arizona Broadcasters Association and more.

O’Hanlon’s work as a mentor and community leader is as impressive as her business building. In addition to her work with Phoenix Rescue Mission, she served as a member of Charter 100, Executive Women’s Roundtable and Commercial One. She has also served on the boards of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, AWEE (Arizona Women for Education and Employment) and ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Additionally, she is the co-founder of Bosom Buddies, a nonprofit group offering peer counseling to women with breast disease.

Additional Phoenix Rescue Mission Board Members

In addition to O’Hanlon, Phoenix Rescue Mission’s 2014 board-member roster also includes:

·         David Sanderson, professor of Medicine, Emeritus, Mayo Clinic of Arizona, was elected as board vice chair
·         Ron Eriksson, retired vice president of The Dial Corporation, was re-elected as board vice chair and treasurer of the board
·         Kevin Biesty, government relations director for AZ DOT, was re-elected as secretary of the board
·         Rick Cohen, general contractor and developer, was elected to the board
·         Carl Johnson, past board chair and retired president of Mattrix
·         Paul Reichert, president and CEO of PJ Brands
·         Kathleen Hall, community leader
·         Dennis Pickering, president and CEO of Behcon, Inc.
·         Mike Kuzara, operations manager for DS Waters
·         Paul Senseman, principal of Policy Development Group
·         Nancy Witherall, community leader
·         Brad Richardson, owner of The Legacy Gallery
·         Dan Saban, executive director of Trident Security Systems

For more information, call (602) 233-3000 or visit www.phoenixrescuemission.org.