Steve Lilly, Co-Chair of Leukemia Ball 2010 on March 27

ExecutiveBiz had the chance to sit down with Leukemia Ball 2010 Co-chair Steve Lilly to discuss the event and his passion for the cause.  Lilly is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (“CFC”), where he has been employed for the past 27 years.  CFC is a $20.0 billion private finance organization, which serves the capital requirements of America’s rural cooperative electric utility systems.

Steve Lilly

Why did you choose to be associated with the Leukemia Ball?

I’ve been involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for the last 13 years.  I served as the event co-chair in 2003 and 2004.  I’m very much comitted to finding a cure to the deseases we’re fighting.  In addition, I serve on the national board of directors to further my passion of finding a cure.

Why is this a cause you’re so passionate about?

It effects a number of people across our country – I think it’s a very important cause to be involved in.  We fund researchers at the national level, roughly $75 million a year goes directly to fund researchers.  What I enjoy about this endeavor is that all of the volunteers are passionate and high-level and a very large percentage of the fund that we raise go directly to mission.  There are a number of other organizations that raise funding, however LLS has been keenly focused over the years on directing the revenue it drives from its fundraising activities directly to mission the research and all the other things that we’re doing.

What can attendees expect at this years gala?

We’ve been doing this for 23 years.  We have to put out a special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Baker Tilly 2010 Titan of Business and Philanthropy - Lilly, USA - as well as our 2010 Mission Sponsor – PhRMA.  What they can expect is another focused event, focused on the mission of the society and focused where the attendees can have fun.  We have a silent auction that kicks off the event when you come in the convention center.  We have a raffle, of Mercedes-Benz vehicles which are provided by Washington-area Mercedes-Benz dealers valued at about $90,000.  We raffle those off with $100 tickets – you don’t have to be there to win it.  It’s followed by entertainment by comedian John Pinette — and Jackson Browne. So we hope to have a very fun evening, but also one that is filled with focus on the mission of the LLS.  Actually, this is one of the largest charitable fundraising events in the Washington market and for the LLS which has an annual budget of $270 million, again most directed to mission.  This is also the largest black tie affair in the country for the LLS.

How much money do you expect to raise this year?

Our goal this year is $3 million and we expect hit our target.  In spite of the winds that are blowing over our economy – we are now in what many econmists would call a recovery – although the event was planned over a recessionary period.  Last year we were pleased that we raised $3 million at our 2009 event, and our goal is again $3 million.

Can you describe the LLS mission and some of the things they do to prevent leukemia and lymphoma?

We spend – invest, really – about $75 million in research and this is specifically targeted at research groups and teams that collaborate in their effort to find a cure.  There is an estimated 912,000 Americans living with leukemia and lymphoma and we recognize that leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer under the age of 20.  in spite of the fact that we’ve moved the bar ahead from a 4 or 5 percent survival rate going back about 20 years, to about 90 percent, no body wants to be in that 10 percent that we havent found a cure for.  So we’re focused on finding a cure for the remaining 10 percent, especially children.  The society was founded in 1949 and over the 60 year period of the society we’ve directed over 680m in research that has led to key advances in understanding blood cancers and producing new treatments and enchancing and improving quality of life for those struck by the disease.  And out chapter, the Washington National Capital Chapter  is one of the leading chapters out of 64 across the country in terms of our revenue generating capability.

Final thoughts?

I hope that anyone attending the event has a great time!

Posted by John Adams on Monday, March 22nd, 2010. Filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry