CLEVELAND, May 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint Martin de Porres High School's founding
President, Richard F. Clark
announced today that Saint Martin is the proud recipient of a joint
$250,000 gift from The
Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) and the newly established
Connor Foundation, from Sherwin-Williams Executive Chairman
Chris Connor. This generous gift
will support Saint Martin's A Step Along the Way capital
campaign which will fund Saint Martin's new school building, a
$26 million investment in the
community.
The gift was first announced by Sherwin-Williams President and CEO John Morikis during the Company's 150th
Anniversary gathering.
The Corporate Work Study Program office suite in Saint Martin's
new 65,000 square foot building will be named The Connor Center
for Leadership in recognition of Chris
Connor's enormous generosity and leadership at Saint Martin
since Sherwin-Williams joined as a Corporate Work Study Program
partner in 2005, and in celebration of his highly successful tenure
as Chairman and CEO at Sherwin-Williams. Mr. Connor said,
"The Connor Foundation applauds the excellent work of Saint Martin,
and the Cristo Rey Network, as they continue to impact the lives of
talented high school students in Cleveland.
"We are proud to make this combined gift to ensure that Saint
Martin de Porres High School will continue to provide educational
and leadership opportunities that we know will lead to success in
their students' lives. We expect these talented students will
become the leaders of tomorrow for our community and exemplify the
Jesuit motto of becoming men and women for others."
According to Richard Clark,
"Since 2005 Chris Connor has viewed Saint Martin's work-study
program as a win-win for students and employers in Cleveland. When he and Sherwin-Williams
originally signed on, they brought validity and name recognition to
our program, but more importantly they got to know our students.
For over a decade, students' lives have been changed because of
their experiences at Sherwin-Williams and at Saint Martin, and that
is a result of Chris's conscientious, community-focused leadership.
We are humbled by this gift and are excited that The Connor
Center for Leadership will be the future home of our Corporate
Work Study Program."
With this gift, Sherwin-Williams and the Connor Foundation join
numerous other corporations, foundations and individuals who are
supporting A Step Along the Way, including The Cleveland
Foundation, The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation, Dominion
East Ohio Gas, Forest City Realty Trust, Giant Eagle and
Parker Hannifin among others.
Construction is underway, and Saint Martin anticipates the first
phase of the building to be complete by the beginning of the
2017-18 school year.
About Saint Martin de Porres High School
Founded in
2003, Saint Martin de Porres High School is a member of the Cristo
Rey Network. Saint Martin has a student body of 400 students in
grades 9-12, all of whom are from families of modest economic
means. Saint Martin delivers a distinctive approach to education
that equips students with the knowledge, character, and skills to
transform their lives. From freshman year, Saint Martin establishes
a culture of high-expectations by blending rigorous academics, four
years of professional work experience, Catholic moral values, and
support for students to and through college. The school's alumni
base is nearly 600 men and women, many of whom were the first in
their families to attend or graduate from post-secondary
education.
About the Cristo Rey Network
The Cristo Rey Network
comprises 32 Catholic, college preparatory high schools for
underrepresented urban youth. Through rigorous academics, coupled
with real world work experience, Cristo
Rey students graduate high school prepared for success in
college and in life.
About Sherwin-Williams
Founded 150 years ago in
1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the
manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of coatings and
related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and
retail customers. With 47,000 associates and $11.3 billion in sales, S-W is the USA's #1 paint and coatings company; #3 in the
world. The Company manufactures products under well-known brands
such as Sherwin-Williams®, HGTV HOME® by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch
Boy®, Krylon®, Minwax®, Thompson's® Water Seal®, Ronseal™, Sayerlack®,
Euronavy®, Altax™ and many more. With global headquarters in
Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams®
branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than
4,100 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company's
other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home
centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive
retailers, and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Global
Finishes Group delivers a wide range of products to the automotive
refinishes, product finishes, and protective and marine markets in
115 countries around the world. For more information, visit
www.sherwin.com.
Contact:
Devon
Lynch-Huggins-Szep
Saint Martin de Porres High
School
Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations
216.881.1689 ext 380
dlynch-huggins@stmdphs.org
Mike Conway
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Director Corporate Communications
216.515.4393
mike.conway@sherwin.com
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SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company