2.14.2007 - 12:06pm ET

(CSRwire) ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2007--UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced the appointment of Lisa Hamilton, a Public Affairs manager in Washington, D.C., as the next president of The UPS Foundation, succeeding the retiring Evern Cooper Epps.

Hamilton will take the reins of The UPS Foundation in March. A native of Atlanta, she earned a BS degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan. She has been with UPS for 10 years and before her current post, served as The UPS Foundation's program director.

Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, The UPS Foundation donates more than $45 million annually to charitable organizations worldwide. The UPS Foundation's major initiatives include programs that support global volunteerism, literacy programs and hunger relief. In recent years, the company has focused on expanding its philanthropy and volunteer programs outside the United States in tandem with the company's business expansion

Epps, a native of Detroit, joined UPS 32 years ago and has served as president of The UPS Foundation since 1998. Only the fourth president in the Foundation's 55-year history, she has guided the organization through a period of significant growth and change.

During her tenure, The UPS Foundation focused its giving into three primary areas: volunteerism, hunger and literacy.

In the area of volunteerism, a key effort has been helping non-profits better manage their own networks of volunteers through streamlined management techniques and technology tools. More than $12.3 million has been contributed to support such projects at both the national and local levels. Through these strategies, charitable partners have succeeded in attracting additional recruits from more diverse pools of volunteers; improved retention rates for their volunteers, and helped volunteers become more effective in actually delivering social services.

The heart of UPS's philanthropic outreach is the company's Neighbor to Neighbor program, which experienced a dramatic expansion under Epps' guidance. This program mobilizes UPS employees and their families to serve as volunteers in their communities. It provides UPS employees and their families with hands-on volunteer opportunities where they live and work and is part of an ongoing company-wide effort to heighten awareness for community needs and promote the importance of volunteerism.

Last year, UPS employees donated more than 950,000 hours in volunteer activities around the world.

In recent years, Epps turned her focus toward the development of a global strategy for The UPS foundation as UPS experienced rapid international expansion and growth. Over the past five years, contributions outside of the United States have grown from $385,000 to more than $4 million annually. And employee volunteerism has skyrocketed thanks to a new effort that the company calls Global Volunteer Week. Last year, more than 23,000 UPS people in Asia and Latin America, Europe and the United States participated in at least one activity over the seven days, contributing more than 154,000 hours of service.

"Evern has led the Foundation through its most dynamic period of growth and change and in the process she has touched millions of lives," said Mike Eskew, UPS chairman and CEO. "Perhaps her most important legacy is the global perspective she has brought to the Foundation, which will be a key focus in the coming years."

In addition to her Foundation duties, Epps has served in leadership roles in a number of community organizations including the Northwest Georgia Girl Scouts Council; the National Urban League; United Way of America; the Points of Light Foundation; the Metro Atlanta YMCA; the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College; the Andrew Young School of Policy, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She also is an appointed member of President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Civic Participation and plans to continue her work with that organization.

The UPS Foundation pursues its initiatives by identifying specific projects where its support can help produce a measurable social impact. Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS's community involvement.



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