Philadelphia, August 24, 2017 – J. Gordon Cooney, Jr., leader of the global litigation practice at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, has been named chair of the regional Board of Directors for United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ), effective July 2017. Cooney will lead the regional board for a two-year term and succeeds Melinda K. Holman, chairman of Holman Automotive, who served as chair from 2015-2017. Holman will remain on the board as an active member.
“We are honored to have Gordon at the helm of our board at such a significant time for our organization. For the past three years, our United Way has been laying the foundation to ensure that we are well-positioned to serve this region for the long-term,” said Mike DiCandilo, interim president and CEO of UWGPSNJ. “This work has included significant long-range planning and early execution devoted to refining and clarifying our Impact strategy to create more powerful community change and identifying new ways for raising money to support our work in the community. Gordon has played an instrumental role in both of these critical initiatives.”
A member of UWGPSNJ’s Board of Directors since 2009, Cooney has chaired UWGPSNJ’s Impact Strategy Committee, led the annual campaign, served on the Resource Development Strategy Committee, and was recognized as UWGPSNJ’s 2014-15 Volunteer of the Year. He is also a longtime member of United Way’s Tocqueville Society and a tireless advocate for its Impact Fund.
"The importance of United Way’s role in our communities cannot be overstated. United Way has a unique ability to convene stakeholders in the business, nonprofit, and public sectors to address some of the most complex issues we face as a region,” said Cooney. “I’m proud to lead UWGPSNJ in its efforts to end intergenerational poverty through a two-generational focus on education, family economic stability and health.”
Cooney joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in 1986 and serves on its Advisory Board. In addition to his work in the community with UWGPSNJ, Cooney served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gesu School and Rosemont School of the Holy Child. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and of U.S. Lacrosse.
Cooney earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and holds a law degree from Villanova University School of Law.
For more information about UWGPSNJ, please visit www.UnitedForImpact.org.