WS Chronicle

To better fulfill its mission of strengthening community partnerships through mentoring and community outreach programs, the Winston-Salem Police Foundation is expanding its Board of Directors in 2019. Community partnerships are essential to enhance relationships between residents and the police.

“I’m very proud of the significant achievements our small board has made in just three short years,” said Scott Sewell, President of the Winston-Salem Police Foundation. “We’re excited to be adding to our board some very talented individuals who will enhance our effectiveness and contributions to the foundation. It remains an honor to work with the dedicated members of the Winston-Salem Police Department under the leadership of Chief Catrina Thompson.”

The Foundation Board of Directors has increased from eight members in 2018 to 18 members for 2019. This expansion will allow the Foundation to bring more diversity, experience and differing insights to the board, enabling it to better serve its core mission.

For 2019, the Winston-Salem Police Foundation officers are: Scott Sewell, President of the Foundation, Cook Medical Inc.; Evelyn Acree, Secretary, M&F Bank; and Jordan Gwyn, Treasurer, BB&T Bank. Other Board members are: Barry Rountree, Winston-Salem Police Department (retired); Perry G. Hudspeth, Hege Financial Group; Rod Back, Delhaize America (retired); Justin Gomez, Wake Forest Baptist Health; Alex Thornton, J. E. Thornton; Brenda Diggs, Community Leader (retired); John Devlin, Cook Medical Inc.; Dr. Tadhg O’Gara, Wake Forest Baptist Health; Rob Simon, Windsor Jewelers; Scott Somerville, Hanes Activewear; Simon Burgess, Mayfair Street Partners; Karen Huey, Wake Forest Baptist Health; Nancy Young, Winston-Salem State University (retired); James DuBose, Winston-Salem State University; Haley Gingles, APR, The FMRT Group; and Catrina Thompson, Police Chief of the Winston-Salem Police Department (ex-officio member).

The Winston-Salem Police Foundation’s mission is to provide funds for tools, training, technology and equipment that might go unfunded otherwise. The Foundation is a charitable non-profit, independent organization, designed to provide funding that can be allocated to help strengthen community and police partnerships such as mentoring programs, community outreach events and Police Athletic Leagues (PAL). In addition, it helps promote public and officer safety, along with the ability to recognize and honor the police workforce. The Foundation follows a public-private partnership model that has proven to be highly effective in prevention and reduction of crime and fostering stronger community relations in other cities.

The Foundation allows for tax-exempt gifts from individuals, businesses and philanthropic organizations, and is the only organization authorized to raise funds on behalf of the Winston-Salem Police Department. For more information about how to support the Winston-Salem Police Foundation, please contact Scott Sewell.