NEW YORK, May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize announces that it has elected John C. (Hans) Morris, Allison Sagraves, and Diana Taylor to its Board of Directors. They will join the board for its June meeting.

"We welcome these three dynamic members to our Board," said Elisabeth Wilmers, Chair of the Board. "They bring distinct skills and perspectives, and we are pleased to work with them in their new capacity for the Wilmers Integrity Prize."  

The Wilmers Integrity Prize was established in 2019 to support individuals working in the U.S. with exceptional integrity to better our world through their actions and advocacy. Offered each year, the Prize is a no-strings-attached cash award of $50,000. Integrity in leadership and service to the community are at the forefront of the nonprofit organization's search, and individuals working in the arts, education, environment, law, medicine, nutrition, social justice, and social reform are eligible for the prize. Individuals residing and working in the United States may apply or nominate another person for the prize. The prize was established in honor of the late Robert Wilmers, chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, to recognize and celebrate the ideals represented by his life and legacy as a philanthropist and as an advocate for positive change for the greater good.

Hans Morris is the founder and Managing Partner of Nyca Partners, a venture capital company that focuses on financial services companies, founded in 2014. From 2010 until 2014, he served as a managing director and special advisor at General Atlantic, a growth equity firm. Mr. Morris previously served as the President of Visa, Inc., from 2007 to 2009 and spent the previous 27 years at Citigroup and its predecessor companies in various leadership positions. He serves as chair of the board of directors of Lending Club and is a director of several private companies. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he is a trustee of The Public Theater in New York and former chairman of the boards of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (Dartmouth College) and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). In 2016, Hans and Bob Wilmers were part of the group that purchased The Berkshire Eagle, and Hans continues to serve as chairman of its board. Hans and his wife, Kate, live in New York City and Stockbridge.

Allison Sagraves held numerous leadership positions at M&T Bank, including serving as the bank's founding Chief Data Officer. As an early enterprise chief data officer in industry, Ms. Sagraves has achieved international recognition, named to 2022 Top 100 Global Data and Analytics Innovators and three-time Global Data Power Women. Allison, who earned her MBA at Harvard Business School, is an adjunct faculty member for the Carnegie Mellon University Chief Data and Analytics Officer Program. She formed her own consulting firm in 2022 and serves a growing portfolio of global clients. She is a popular speaker at top conferences such as CES 2024, where she spoke on Banking in the Age of AI, and her thought leadership has been published in the Harvard Business Review. Prior to attending Harvard Business School, Allison served on the White House Staff, and worked for The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, International Paper, Barclays Bank, and Deloitte. Allison lives in Western New York with her husband, D. Gregory Connors, a former member of The Buffalo News Editorial Board.  

A leader in finance and government, Diana Taylor served as superintendent of banking for the State of New York under former Governor George Pataki from 2003 to 2007 and has held various positions in the State government, including Chief Financial Officer of the Long Island Power Authority and Deputy Secretary to the Governor of New York State.  She was previously Vice Chair of Solera Capital LLC and Managing Director at Wolfensohn Fund Management.  She started her career as an investment banker at Smith Barney, followed by Lehman Brothers and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette.  Ms. Taylor currently serves on the Board of Directors of Citigroup and of Brookfield Asset Management.  She also chairs several not-for-profit organizations, including Accion, the New York City Ballet, HotBread Kitchen and the Friends of Hudson River Park.  She is a past chair of the YMCA of Greater New York and the New York Women's Foundation and sits on the board of the Cold Spring Harbor Labs.  She is a Trustee Emeritus of Dartmouth College, and of the Mayo Clinic.  Ms. Taylor earned her AB from Dartmouth College, her MBA from Columbia Business School, and her MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia.

"Their deep experience in culture, strategic planning, finance, philanthropy and governance will strengthen the work of the Board as we seek to expand the Prize's impact and further our commitment to honoring the unsung heroes who are making a difference in our communities," said Executive Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson. "It's an honor to join the board," said Sagraves, "and amplify Bob's legacy of impact and integrity."

For more information about the Prize, including its Board of Directors and Selection Committee, visit https://wilmersintegrityprize.org/

Contact: Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Executive Director
jenniferthompson@wilmersintegrityprize.org   Cell: 413-207-1210

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