Foundation committed to finding permanent homes for the more than 155,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems
Columbus, Ohio — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national non-profit public charity, today welcomed Julie Bieszczat as a member of its board of trustees, serving a three-year term. Bieszczat is President of Barney Enterprises Management Services, which operates 11 Wendy’s® restaurants across Indiana.
“The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is on the front lines in fighting to find loving, adoptive homes for children in foster care who are often overlooked,” said Bieszczat. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve such an important cause.”
Bieszczat joined Barney Enterprises in 2007, after an 11-year career with Delta Faucet Company in Carmel, Indiana. She was promoted to President of Barney in 2012.
“Julie is a skilled, hard-working and thoughtful business leader, with a passion for giving back to her community,” said Mary Schell, Chief Public Affairs Officer for The Wendy’s Company and chair of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s board of trustees. “She brings a valuable perspective to the board.”
Through its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption provides funding to adoption agencies to hire recruiters who implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model. A rigorous, five-year evaluation revealed that the model is up to three times more effective at serving children who have been in foster care the longest, including teenagers, children with special needs and siblings.
To date, more than 475 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters have found forever homes for more than 9,500 children in foster care across North America.
“I’m excited to have Julie’s leadership and experience on the board,” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “She will be an important voice in guiding our work on behalf of the tens of thousands of children in foster care who are waiting for a forever family.”
Bieszczat earned a Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University. She lives in Crown Point, Indiana.
###
About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated exclusively to finding permanent homes for the more than 155,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org.
