Two MCB Staff to Receive Awards at Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Grand Rapids
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- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:21:02 -0400
Michigan.gov, MI, USA
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Two MCB Staff to Receive Awards at Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Grand
Rapids
By Dept. for Labor & Economic Growth
Contact: Susan Turney (517) 241-8631
October 23, 2007 - Two staff members of the Michigan Commission for the Blind
(MCB) will receive awards at the 2007 Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in
Grand Rapids on October 25. MCB Director Patrick Cannon and MCB Rehabilitation
Counselor Michelle Visscher will be honored in two separate ceremonies.
Patrick Cannon will receive a Michigan Rehabilitation Conference Excellence
Award, presented by the Michigan Rehabilitation Association and the Michigan
Association of Rehabilitation Organizations (MARO). He will be presented with
the award at the October 25 evening banquet at the Amway Grand Plaza. He is
being honored for his many years of service on behalf of people with
disabilities, including his service as director of MCB since 1997, bringing a
new level of collaboration to the agency through the agency's VISION 2020
initiative; director of the Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns for 10
years, where he was instrumental in gaining passage of the 1990 amendments to
the Michigan Handicappers' Civil Rights Act and advocating for enactment of the
Americans with Disabilities Act; State ADA Coordinator and Disability Policy
Advisor to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm; a member and chair of the U.S. Access
Board, appointed by President Bill Clinton, working on issues of ar
chitectural and transportation access; and for being a role model for
individuals who are blind and possess other disabilities, and being a tireless
advocate for full inclusion and full citizenship for individuals with
disabilities. Cannon said, "It is a particular honor to be recognized by my
colleagues in the disability and rehab community. I find immense satisfaction
in effectively serving our customers and helping them to achieve independence
and employment. This is meaningful and satisfying work, particularly so due to
the outstanding MCB staff."
Michelle Visscher, a Rehabilitation Counselor at the commission's Grand Rapids
office, will receive the 2007 Michigan Rehabilitation Counseling Association
(MRCA) Job Placement Division (JPD) Placement Specialist of the Year Award at
the MRC/JPD luncheon on October 25 at DeVos Place. This award is presented
annually to the person who excels in assisting persons with disabilities in
obtaining employment, staying employed, and advancing in their employment.
Michelle Visscher has excelled in all of these in her work with MCB, serving
people who are blind and visually impaired in Kent and Muskegon counties.
Visscher said, "It's wonderful to be recognized by my supervisor, colleagues,
clients, and vendors that I work with every day. This work is a team effort,
so I share this honor with everyone at the Michigan Commission for the Blind."
Through its state- and federally- funded training and services, MCB provides
opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to achieve
independence and employment, and annually serves approximately 4,500 state
residents who are blind or visually impaired. Visit the MCB website at
www.michigan.gov/mcb or call MCB toll-free at 1‑800‑292-4200
(voice) or 1‑888-864-1212 (TTY).
The Michigan Commission for the Blind is part of the Michigan Department of
Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG), which is investing in Michigan's future by
helping to create the jobs of today and tomorrow, ensuring that our children
and adults have the skills these jobs demand, making Michigan a better place to
do business, and training and placing those who need jobs now. For more
information about DLEG, visit the department's website at www.michigan.gov/dleg.
http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-10573_11472-178622--,00.html
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