Walter Kaitz Foundation

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The Walter Kaitz Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that promotes inclusion and participation of women and people of color in the cable telecommunications industry.

The foundation raises funds from cable industry participants and disburses them through three independent not-for-profit organizations: The Emma L. Bowen Foundation,[1] which prepares minority youth for careers in the media industry; the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Cable,[2] which helps people of color identify mentors and advance their careers; and Women in Cable & Telecommunications,[3] which provides career guidance and training for women in the communications field. In 2008, the Foundation announced it awarded more than $1.5 million dollars to the three organizations.

Much of the funding for the Walter Kaitz Foundation comes from an annual dinner[4] the organization presents to celebrate Diversity Week, a series of meetings and events sponsored by cable industry organizations in New York City. The dinner honors individuals from within and outside of the cable industry who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity.

History

The foundation was established in 1980 in honor of Walter Kaitz,[5] a Russian immigrant who was president of the California Cable Television Association (CCTA)[6] from the early 1960s until his death in 1979. Kaitz[5] graduated from Harvard University after attending on a scholarship for newspaper carriers, and later graduated from the University of California Boalt Law School. He was a vocal advocate of equal opportunities for individuals in business. His son, Spencer Kaitz,[7] succeeded the elder Kaitz[5] as President of the CCTA,[6] and started The Walter Kaitz Foundation after receiving contributions in his father’s honor from industry colleagues.

Activities

In addition to raising and distributing funding to not-for-profit organizations, The Walter Kaitz Foundation presents seminars and conferences designed to assist minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) in doing business in the cable telecommunications industry.

Organization

With offices in Washington, D.C., the Walter Kaitz Foundation is co-located with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, a cable industry public affairs organization. The foundation’s executive director is David Porter,[8] who was previously Director of Graduate Programs for the Howard University School of Business from 2003 – 2006, and before that, was an assistant professor at the UCLA Anderson School.

Annual Dinner

The foundation’s Annual Dinner,[4] held in September in New York City, is a premiere social event for the cable industry, attracting top-level executives and industry professionals. The dinner[4] raises funding for the Walter Kaitz Foundation and the organizations it supports.

See also

Spencer Kaitz Oral History, The Cable Center, - The Oral History of Spencer Kaitz

References

  1. ↑ The Emma L. Bowen Foundation - visit the official Emma L. Bowen Foundation web site
  2. ↑ The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Cable - visit the official web site of The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Cable
  3. ↑ Women in Cable & Telecommunications - visit the official Women in Cable & Telecommunications web site
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Walter Kaitz Annual Fundraising Dinner - visit the official Walter Kaitz Foundation Annual Fundraising Dinner web site
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Walter Kaitz Biography of Walter Kaitz
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The California Cable Television Association (CCTA) - Visit the official Cable Television Association web site
  7. ↑ Spencer Kaitz Spencer Kaitz Oral History
  8. ↑ David Porter - The Walter Kaitz Foundations Executive Director Bio

External links

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