Chris Meek

Christopher Douglas Meek (born September 30, 1970) is an American philanthropist and businessman. Meek is a financial services executive and is a co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong, a charitable organization supporting U.S. service members and veterans. Meek is a member of the board of directors of the Hayek Institute for American Renewal (HIFAR) and ReachStrong, a 501c3 not-for-profit focused on mental health empowerment and well-being. Meek also serves as Adjunct Professor at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on non-profit management and board governance.[1]

Chris Meek
Born (1970-09-30) September 30, 1970
Elmira, New York, U.S.
Alma materSyracuse University and Pace University
Political partyRepublican
Websitewww.soldierstrong.org

He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Career Resources[2] (Bridgeport, Connecticut) and is a former board member of the World Affairs Forum.[3] Meek is the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Yerwood Center in Stamford, Connecticut. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at St Luke's LifeWorks[4] and is the past Chairman of the Development Committee as well as the Life Long Learning Committee there. Meek served as the Chairman of Stamford's Urban Redevelopment Commission.[5] Meek was a co-founder and Chairman of START Now! in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Early life

Meek was born in 1970 in Elmira, New York to Douglas and Camille Meek. After his parents divorced in 1972, Meek was raised largely by his mother, who was a deaf education teacher, and his maternal grandparents George and Marion Giroux.

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 at Syracuse University.[1] While at Syracuse University, Meek was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Meek earned an MBA in Financial Management at Pace University (New York, New York) 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.

Career

After graduating from Syracuse University in 1992,[6] Meek worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Syracuse, New York from 1992–93 and then 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 then, Meek has served as a Financial Services Executive in New York City for State Street Global Advisors and then for S&P Global, Inc.

Community activism
Chris Meek (at right) receiving the 2014 Syracuse University Orange Circle Award from Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud for his philanthropic work; April 2, 2014.
Chris Meek hosting a SoldierStrong fundraising charity event at Honeywell, Washington D.C.; May 20, 2014.

In April 2009, Meek held his first in a series of loan modification events at the Yerwood Center in Stamford.[7] The event consisted of five banks and several agencies offering assistance to avoid foreclosure. The program enabled 36 families to modify their mortgage, avoid going into foreclosure and losing their homes.[8] Meek created the not-for-profit START Now! in May 2009,[9] which extended similar assistance to 252 families over 11 events.

In July 2009, Meek received a request from a U.S. marine asking for help in obtaining hygienic items for our American soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. This led him to create the not-for-profit SoldierStrong.[10][11] Since its founding, SoldierStrong has shipped more than 75,000 pounds of basic supplies to 73 units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In June 2012, SoldierStrong launched a scholarship initiative partnering with the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. That July, SoldierStrong expanded its efforts launching the new SoldierStrong Veterans Grant Foundation to help those returning from the frontlines.[12] A year later, in July 2013, SoldierStrong again set its focus on returning veterans and further expanded the scope of the not-for-profits’ efforts.[13] Partnering with Ekso Bionics,[14][15] SoldierStrong began working to give paralyzed veterans the ability to walk again.[16] In October 2013, SoldierStrong launched a fundraising campaign to raise funds to provide robotic exo-skeletal suits to veterans.[17]

Dan Rose became the first recipient of an Ekso suit from SoldierStrong in December 2013. Rose was paralyzed after the truck he was commanding struck an IED in Afghanistan on April 27, 2011.[18]

Since donating the first suit, SoldierStrong has partnered with VA facilities across the country to expand the reach[19] of these transformational devices.[20] As of March 2020, SoldierStrong has donated 24 exoskeleton suits. SoldierStrong also launched StrongMind, a program which provides help for veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress through virtual reality therapy. There have been 13 StrongMind Virtual Reality Systems donated to VA Hospitals since September 2019.

In 2011, Meek received the President's Call to Service Award from President Barack Obama.[1]

In October 2011, Chris was awarded the 2011 March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award.[21]

Connecticut Magazine's inaugural [22] "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".

On April 2, 2014, Chris Meek was presented with the Orange Circle Award for the groups' philanthropic work.[23] Presented by Syracuse University, the award recognizes members of the SU community who have done extraordinary things in the service of others.[24]

On May 22, 2018, Chris Meek testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Research and Technology and subcommittee on Energy about using hyper-advanced medical devices to improve the lives of veterans. Meek was joined in testifying by SoldierStrong Advisory board member and Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum.[25]

In 2020, Meek launched ReachStrong, a non-profit focused on mental health empowerment and well-being.[26]

Politics

On August 24, 2010, Meek was sworn into a 3-year term by Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia as Commissioner on the city's Urban Redevelopment Committee (URC) and was elected Chairman of the Commission on December 13, 2012.[27]

On October 17, 2011. Meek announced his candidacy to represent Connecticut's 4th congressional district.[28] Meek had previously been mentioned[29] as a potential candidate for the United States Senate in 2012. Meek, who added a new child to his family in March 2012, withdrew from the race several months before Connecticut's Primary election.

Personal life

Meek lives in Stamford, Connecticut with his wife and their three children.[1]

Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek

On August 4, 2020, Meek launched his podcast Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek on the Voice America Talk Radio Network's Empowerment Channel.[30] Each Tuesday at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM Pacific, Meek hosts leaders from the worlds of business, sports, entertainment, medicine, politics and public policy as they engage in thought-provoking discussions to empower listeners to better themselves, cultivate a better sense of their own well-being and make the commitment to serve others.[31]

Since its inception, guests have included

References
  1. "Meek, Chris". The Maxwell School of Syracuse University. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  2. "CAREER RESOURCES INC".
  3. "World Affairs Forum - About Us". Archived from the original on 2012-12-30. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  4. "Inspirica".
  5. http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/50/2234/default.aspx Archived 2011-07-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. "Class Notes".
  7. "US clutches at straws of recovery". telegraph.co.uk.
  8. "Together we can accomplish anything". StamfordAdvocate.
  9. "Goldman Sachs' exec brings foreclosure counseling show to Bridgeport". stamfordadvocate.com.
  10. "ConnecticutPlus.com News - Stamford resident launches non-profit organization to aide troops serving abroad".
  11. "News - Fedele to help local group pack items for troops". stamfordplus.com.
  12. "Vineyard Vines helps SoldierSocks expand".
  13. "Stamford's founder of SoldierSocks helps troops in need". Thehour.com.
  14. "Robotic legs help wounded warriors walk". Fox News. December 23, 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  15. "Bionic Suit Could Help Paralyzed Soldiers Walk Again". FOX CT.
  16. "Stories From Main Street: Stamford-Based Charity Tries To Help Paralyzed Vets Walk Again « CBS New York".
  17. "The Ekso makes its Greenwich debut". GreenwichTime.
  18. Lindsay Carlton. "Helping paralyzed soldiers take their first steps". Fox News.
  19. "Here's an issue Democrats, Republicans and independents can get behind". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  20. Frame, Carson. "South Texas VA Receives Robotic Gift". Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  21. "March of Dimes". Archived from the original on 2011-11-07. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  22. "40 Under 40".
  23. "2014 Orange Circle Recipients".
  24. "Syracuse University News » » Orange Circle Awards to Be Presented April 2".
  25. "Empowering U.S. Veterans Through Technology". science.house.gov. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  26. ReachStrong (2020-12-09). "New Nonprofit Offers Resources to Americans to Maintain Good Mental Health". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  27. http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/50/2234/4368/4384/default.aspx Archived 2012-04-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  28. "Activist starts 4th District campaign". NewsTimes.
  29. "Roll Call reference to Chris Meek". Roll Call.
  30. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  31. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  32. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Commander Rorke Denver". voiceamerica.com. voiceameria.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  33. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Dr. Albert "Skip" Rizzo". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  34. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Graham Rahal". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  35. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Commander Guy Snodgrass". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  36. "Martha MacCallum, Award Winning Anchor of Fox News Channel's "The Story," to Appear on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek". globenewswire.com. Globe Newswire. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  37. "Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek Featuring Martha MacCallum". voiceamerica.com. voiceamerica.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  38. "Anne Beiler, Founder of Auntie Anne's Inc., to Share the Value of Overcoming on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek - Press Release - Digital Journal". www.digitaljournal.com. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  39. "Karen Pence, Second Lady of the United States, to Appear On Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek On Tuesday". StreetInsider.com. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  40. Monday, Source: VoiceAmerica Posted; October 19; Permalink, 2020 at 10:28 AM CDT- (2020-10-19). "Deka Founder Dean Kamen Talks About Improving Lives Through Science and Technology on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek". SBWire. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  41. Meek, Next Steps Forward with Chris (2020-10-26). "Surgeon General of The United States Jerome M. Adams to Appear on Next Steps Forward With Chris Meek on Tuesday, Oct. 27". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  42. "Civil Rights Activist Dr. Alveda C. King to Appear on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek on Tuesday, Oct. 27 - Press Release - Digital Journal". www.digitaljournal.com. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  43. "Battlegrounds: Former National Security Advisor LTG H.R. McMaster". The VoiceAmerica Talk. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  44. "On Eagle's Wings: The Amazing Flight of Sean O'Keefe". The VoiceAmerica Talk. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  45. Meek, Next Steps Forward with Chris (2020-12-04). "Armen Keteyian, 11-Time Emmy-Winning Journalist, to Share Insights on State of Journalism and Modern Sports on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek Dec. 8". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  46. Meek, Next Steps Forward with Chris (2021-01-18). "Mark Halperin, Host of Mark Halperin's Focus Group on Newsmax TV, to Talk Government and Politics on Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek Jan. 19". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
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