Yahoo Finance Ronald M. Simon Family Foundation Announces Leadership Appointments
Benjamin Drutman Named President, Dr. Kathy Abels to Serve as Vice Chairman of the Board
Ben Drutman, President of RMSFF
Dr. Kathy Abels, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at RMSFF
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ronald M. Simon Family Foundation (RMSFF), formerly the Simon Foundation for Education and Housing, announces that Benjamin Drutman has been appointed President and Dr. Kathy Abels will serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Drutman has held several key leadership positions related to the RMSFF including serving as Executive Director of the Simon Scholars Program (SSP), a unique scholarship program supported by the Foundation.
In his new role as President, Drutman will report directly to the RMSFF’s Board of Directors, including continuing Chairman, Gary Singer. As President, Drutman will oversee the development and operation of several new programs designed to extend the Foundation’s reach to Orange County’s underserved community sectors. Though he will also continue to lead the day-to-day operations of the Simon Scholars Program, the new programs being developed under Drutman’s leadership will be run independently from the SSP.
“I am honored to have been passed the baton and continue the Simon Foundation’s impactful work in our community,” Drutman said. “One of my primary initiatives will be to develop a vocational training program to serve high school students who are not college bound. By graduating from high school as well as this new program these students will be able to find a job in construction upon graduation from high school.”
According to Ronald M. Simon, the changes represent an exciting time of growth and demonstrate the Foundation’s on-going commitment to building and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement.
“As we look forward in our quest to expand our reach into other areas of service to underserved sectors of our community, Ben Drutman’s appointment as president is paramount,” said Simon, Founding Chairman, Ronald M. Simon Family Foundation. “Ben has earned the respect and admiration of the community and is the ideal candidate to lead us into the future.”
In addition to Drutman’s elevation to President, RMSFF proudly announces that Dr. Kathy Abels will take on the mantle of Vice Chairman of the RMSFF Board of Directors. Dr. Abels will also continue in her role as CEO of the Simon Scholars Program where she will continue to direct the mission and vision of the SSP.
As part of the Foundation’s commitment to supporting students now and into the future, Abels will spearhead the creation of a new and influential Alumni Association to serve the Foundation’s rapidly growing community of college graduates.
“I feel so honored to be a part of the philanthropic legacy that now includes three generations of my family. Witnessing the impact that the Simon Scholars Program has had on the lives of such deserving individuals over these past two decades has been nothing short of meaningful and inspirational. I now look forward to re-connecting with our Alumni community as we work on expanding opportunities for support, networking and career enhancement,” Abels said.
“Dr. Kathy Abels has been the driving force behind the evolution of the Simon Scholars Program,” praised Simon. “Under her guidance, the program has served more than 1,900 students to date.”
Founded in 2002, The Ronald M. Simon Family Foundation has had the privilege of witnessing extraordinary change, growth and accomplishments by students and community members. Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has provided scholarships and life changing leadership skills to more than 1,900 deserving students through the Simon Scholars Program. Starting with just 10 students in the inaugural class, the program will recruit nearly 200 Orange County Simon Scholars in the new academic year. The program currently serves approximately 600 college Scholars.
For more information on the Simon Scholars Program, visit simonscholars.org or contact Ben Drutman, President, RMSFF at bdrutman@simonscholars.org.
ABOUT THE SIMON SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Simon Scholars Program is a unique scholarship program beginning at the end of a student’s sophomore year of high school and continuing through college graduation. The program prepares students who are facing difficult circumstances to excel academically and socially. The program includes intensive college preparatory and scholarship dollars. Each scholarship is valued at approximately $37,000. Since its inception in 2002, the Simon Scholars Program has supported over 1,900 deserving students and awarded over $100 million in financial aid and program support. For more information about the Simon Scholars Program, please visit www.simonscholars.org.
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