SoldierStrong founder Chris Meek and wounded veteran Chris Weston-Smart on efforts to help wounded veterans to walk again with the aide of wearable robots.
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United Rentals CMO Christopher K. Hummel Joins SoldierStrong Advisory Board
STAMFORD, Conn., June 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, today announced that Christopher (Chris) K. Hummel, senior vice president (SVP) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for United Rentals, will join their Advisory Board effective immediately.
United Rentals began donating to SoldierStrong in 2013 and, as of May 2017, has donated over $350,000 to SoldierStrong to provide advanced medical technologies to benefit injured veterans. In 2016, Mr. Hummel initiated the highly successful “Turns for Troops” program with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing where United Rentals would donate $50 to SoldierStrong for every lap completed by IndyCar driver Graham Rahal in the IndyCar Series.
“SoldierStrong is delighted to welcome Mr. Hummel to our Advisory Board, as our organization and, more importantly, those we serve, will benefit from his vast experience,” said Chris Meek, co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong. “Throughout his career, Mr. Hummel has proven himself as a key member of critical leadership teams—driving key marketing and operational projects. His extensive experience will help advance our mission to help as many injured veterans as possible to gain access to cutting-edge medical technologies.”
Mr. Hummel brings more than two decades of senior management experience to United Rentals, having previously held senior sales and marketing positions at Unify, SAP and Oracle; he was appointed his current role for United Rentals in 2016. Prior to that, he served as the chief marketing officer of Schneider Electric SE, responsible for the development and implementation of Schneider’s global marketing strategy. Mr. Hummel is an award-winning corporate spokesperson who was named one of FierceCMO’s “15 B2B CMOs to Watch” in 2013 and profiled in The CMO Manifesto.
“On behalf of United Rentals and as an individual, I am honored to join the Advisory Board of SoldierStrong and look forward to helping continue its mission to support our veterans long after their return home,” said Mr. Hummel. “It’s critical that we use all our skills and resources to help support an organization that is dedicated to the service of those who have so bravely served our nation.”
Mr. Hummel holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD), International Business and a BA, International Relations, both from Tufts University.
About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong, previously known as SoldierSocks, helps American patriots literally take their new steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful.
MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Harrison CYNYPR, Inc. rachel@cynypr.com soldierstrong@cynypr.com COMPANY CONTACT: SoldierStrong 1127 High Ridge Road #124 Stamford, Connecticut 06905 Telephone: 888-898-3235 Website: www.soldierstrong.org Facebook: SoldierStrong Twitter: @soldierstrong
LaSalle Solutions Supports SoldierStrong Through Turns for Troops Charitable Program
Every Lap Completed at 2017 Indy 500 Will Benefit Veterans
ROSEMONT, Ill., May 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LaSalle Solutions, a leading provider of technology lifecycle asset management services, announced today that it has partnered with United Rentals and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on their Turns for Troops program. LaSalle Solutions will donate $25 to SoldierStrong for every lap Verizon IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal, driver of the #15 Honda, completes during the 2017 Indianapolis 500 on May 28.
SoldierStrong applies donations toward the purchase of state-of-the-art medical technologies and implementation of educational programs that benefit injured veterans across the country, helping them to—literally—take their next steps forward.
“We are grateful that LaSalle Solutions has joined the Turns for Troops program to support us during the Indy 500,” said Chris Meek, co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong. “Their contribution will help us in our efforts to provide cutting-edge medical technology to veterans. As awareness of this campaign increases, we hope additional partners will follow suit and find ways to get involved.”
In 2016, United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental provider, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing first partnered on the Turns for Troops program, raising more than $100,000 for SoldierStrong—which went toward the purchase of cutting-edge robotic medical devices that address a variety of physical rehabilitation needs. SoldierStrong donated these technologies to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide and plans to do the same with this year’s proceeds.
“LaSalle is thrilled to support SoldierStrong and the amazing work that they do,” said Steven Robb, president of the Solutions Group at LaSalle Solutions. “We are inspired by their commitment to helping our wounded veterans, as well as everything United Rentals and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing are doing through Turns for Troops. As a sponsor of the racing team at this year’s Indy 500, we heard about the program and knew we had to get involved. We are excited to be a part of it and look forward to helping SoldierStrong surpass last year’s proceeds.”
To learn more about the program and opportunities to directly support SoldierStrong, visit turnsfortroops.com.
About LaSalle Solutions
Founded in 1980, LaSalle Solutions is a leading provider of technology lifecycle asset management services. LaSalle enables its customers to improve their technology operations through enhanced processes, management and reporting for better planning and return on investment. LaSalle Solutions’ processes, outstanding customer service and powerful, market-leading cloud-based platform, LAMP, enable customers to obtain better business outcomes through transparency and reliable results at their fingertips.
LaSalle Solutions is a subsidiary of MB Financial Bank, N.A., a commercial bank headquartered in Chicago. MB Financial Inc. is the publicly traded holding company for MB Financial Bank, N.A. and is traded on the NASDAQ as “MBFI.”
For more information on LaSalle Solutions, please visit www.elasalle.com and www.YouTube.com/LaSalleSolutions.
About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong, previously known as SoldierSocks, helps American patriots literally take their new steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know — forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes toward direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful.
LaSalle Solutions and LAMP are registered trademarks of LaSalle Solutions in the United States.
Press Contact Beth Kirshenberg LaSalle Solutions 847.823.9600
Letterman cameo highlights RLL, SoldierStrong partnership extension
By Tony DiZinno | Link to Main Article
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s not often anymore David Letterman makes public appearances on a dais, where he’s cracking jokes alongside key partners and team members.
But the partnership between Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and SoldierStrong, with the Turns for Troops program that supports the nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies (namely but not exclusively exoskeletons) is no ordinary cause.
Put the two together and it added a degree of humor to an otherwise challenging subject, but it’s a cause Letterman and RLL Racing care deeply about.
Last year, at Detroit, the partnership between RLL and SoldierStrong started. For every lap Graham Rahal completed in his No. 15 Honda, United Rentals would donate $50 to SoldierStrong. In its first year, they raised more than $100,000 for SoldierStrong, which went toward the purchase of cutting-edge robotic medical devices that address a variety of physical rehabilitation needs. SoldierStrong donated these technologies to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide, and plans to do the same with this year’s proceeds.
That anniversary is coming up on a one-year mark and it allowed the key stakeholders – Letterman, Graham and Bobby Rahal, United Rentals’ Chris Hummel and SoldierStrong’s Chris Meek – to reflect on what’s been accomplished and what is yet to come for the program, which occurred before qualifying for Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix. This month, that $50 per lap amount will double to $100 per lap.
So far there have been 13 exoskeleton devices funded by SoldierStrong, each one at a cost of nearly $200,000.
Letterman, who introduced himself as “George Bernard Shaw” in his first comments today, reflected on what that all means.
“This topic raises so many questions for me even just sitting here, mentioned that they have 13 of these suits, and I’ve seen them work. I’ve seen them take a human who can’t get out of a chair and walk,” he said. “We have 13 of these now in use. One wonders what the number is of quadriplegic and paraplegic men and women who come back from military service in the defense of the United States.
“I think this is a fantastic thing, if only to create the awareness. Five years ago, I didn’t realize veterans had problems returning. It’s not like World War II. Many times they return to nothing and then sign up again and then go back to a tour of duty. So this problem deserves every amount of attention and spotlight it can garner, and one wonders why isn’t there a box on our tax return where if you want to donate a dollar to build one of these suits for a quadriplegic or a paraplegic, check it here and we’ll take care of that.”
The team has a relationship with Sgt. Dan Rose, paralyzed in Afghanistan from an IED, who attended the season finale in Sonoma last year in one of the more inspirational moments of the 2016 season.
“As Dad said, I think Sergeant Dan Rose is a perfect example for us,” Graham Rahal said. “He was first introduced to us at Sonoma last year, and he’s gone from never, I think, being at an IndyCar car experiencing a race like that, standing with us for the National Anthem at Sonoma, at the time, of course, in San Francisco, that was a pretty controversial thing, and to getting a two-seater ride with Mario Andretti in Phoenix.
“And I think Dan has defied the laws of physics and things because of the suit, and in his way of life, and it’s a great joy for us to have him around. It certainly brightens our day because no matter how — even Phoenix we get collected in that first lap accident and I got to watch the rest of the race sitting with Dan. It brightens our day even amongst the worst of times.”
The younger Rahal, who debuted the United Rentals livery last year and who is driving a special edition livery this weekend, explained his own devotion to patriotism and what the partnership has meant.
“I’ve got to say, when this initiative came upon us, obviously thanks to United Rentals and Chris, they deserve a lot of credit for putting this program together and everything that they did for us last year, and really even when we announced it, it was, what, Detroit, I think, so they even backdated their donation to the start of the year and donated through the entire thing, and we were very proud to raise over $100,000 last year,” he said.
“But I think their commitment to the program for Turns For Troops and SoldierStrong is shown this weekend and through the 500 where they’ve doubled the donation that they are going to make to Turns For Troops, let alone passing up on the opportunity to have — well, the brand is still on the car but not in a big way and really showcase what we’re trying to do here.”
His team co-owner, who’s never been afraid to voice opinions – it was his day job for 30-plus years after his debut really came as a pit reporter in the 1971 Indianapolis 500 telecast – was naturally candid about war but remains dedicated to this partnership.
“I’m not sure why we’re still fighting, but we’re going to send paralyzed people home left and right just as sure as we’re sitting here,” he said.
“So to see that manifestation and then to know what this can accomplish, and for my money, 13 suits is a great start, but kind of a glacial approach to a problem that really needs quicker attention.
“This idea came from United Rentals and team Rahal Letterman Lanigan. I’m at the tail end of this, and I’m just happy to be included, because I think if you’ve had any experience in life in the last century in this country, the immediacy and the need for this is easily recognizable. If there’s anything I can do to push it along a nickel more, great, but make no mistake about it, I’m at the tail end of this, and I’m greatly flattered by the effort.”
SoldierStrong and Fraternal Order of Eagles Team Up to Donate Exoskeleton for SCI Rehabilitation To Long Beach VA Health Care System
STAMFORD, Conn., March 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, today announced that it has teamed up with the Fraternal Order of Eagles to donate an Ekso GT™ exoskeleton to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Long Beach Health Care System. The VA Long Beach Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center (VALBSCI) plans on using this cutting-edge device for gait therapy as part of its rehabilitation services. VALBSCI is one of the largest of the 24 SCI centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The donation ceremony will take place on Friday, March 17th, at 10am PT at the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center.
“We are honored to come together to help our local veterans, and ensure they have access to the latest rehabilitation technology,” said Jerry L. Sullivan, Grand Worthy President, Fraternal Order of Eagles. “As part of our commitment to helping others, we trust that the Long Beach VA will put the Ekso GT to good use to help as many veterans as possible.”
The Ekso GT, made by Ekso Bionics® (NASDAQ:EKSO), is the first and only exoskeleton cleared by the FDA for use with stroke and spinal cord injuries from L5 to C7. The suit’s patented technology provides the ability to mobilize patients earlier, more frequently and with a greater number of high intensity steps. With SmartAssist™ software, the Ekso GT is the only exoskeleton available for rehabilitation institutions that can provide adaptive amounts of power to either side of the patient’s body, challenging the patient as they progress through their continuum of care.
“We would like to express our gratitude to SoldierStrong and the Fraternal Order of Eagles for their donation which will help our veterans,” said Walt Dannenberg, Director of the VA Long Beach Health Care System. “Through our in-patient and out-patient programs, we care for over 700 veterans from across Southern California and the Las Vegas area, many of whom will benefit from this advanced rehabilitation therapy.”
This marks the second donation that the Fraternal Order of Eagles and SoldierStrong have made together to a VA hospital.
“Partnering with the Fraternal Order of Eagles to make yet another exoskeleton donation makes us both grateful and proud. We are committed to supporting the VA healthcare system and providing our nation’s heroes access to advanced medical technologies,”
said Chris Meek, co-founder and Chairman of SoldierStrong.
About Long Beach VA Health Care System
The VA Long Beach Health Care System provides delivery of health care to more than 56,000 Veterans throughout Southern California including the City of Long Beach and all of Orange County. VA Long Beach is also home to one of VA’s largest Spinal Cord Injury Units and to the new Major Charles Robert Soltes Jr. O.D. Blind Rehabilitation Center.
About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong, previously known as SoldierSocks, helps American patriots literally take their new steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful.
CONTACT:
SoldierStrong
1127 High Ridge Road #124
Stamford, Connecticut 06905
Telephone: 888-898-3235
Website: https://www.soldierstrong.org
Facebook: SoldierStrong
Twitter: @soldierstrong
Jason Gieser: Restoring Life’s Little Moments
Veteran Jason Gieser was paralyzed from the chest down in a tragic motorcycle accident. But, after receiving access to the Ekso suit, Gieser was not only able to receive increased mobility, but also finally get relief from nerve pain resulting from the accident. For him, the ability to stand again has been priceless.
You can’t put a price on walking. You can’t put a price on someone’s ability to be 6 foot tall again, and stand up and kiss your wife—stand up and hug your daughter, or your son. There’s no price on that. There’s no price on getting those small treasures—the small things that seem insignificant when you have the ability to do them, but they become so significant when you no longer have that ability.
Devices like Ekso being made available to veterans can have significant health impacts if the users are able to access it on a regular basis.
