Bender Consulting
Written by Joyce Bender
Chief Executive Officer and founder of Bender Consulting Services
Tony Coelho is known by many people for many incredible accomplishments in the political, business, and disability world. I am constantly amazed at how many people he knows that he has impacted in a significant way. I am one of those people.
In 1996, I had all the stars line up when I met Congressman Tony Coelho; at that time, he was the Chair of The President’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities appointed by President William Clinton. After a brief chance meeting with Tony, he appointed me to the President’s Committee; in 1999 I received the President’s Award, America’s highest honor for a person who demonstrated leadership in creating competitive employment for Americans with Disabilities. I was on the dais at the White House with President Clinton and Tony.
At that time, I had only six employees with disabilities gainfully
employed, but unlike 99% of people with disabilities, my employees worked in a competitive area of Information Technology. As a small disability owned business, based in Pittsburgh, Bender Consulting Services was known in Pittsburgh. After meeting Tony and receiving this award, I soon became known nationally.
Tony helped Bender Consulting Services grow from having six employees with disabilities, to finding competitive employment for thousands of Americans with Disabilities in STEM areas and many other business disciplines. Tony and I became like brother and sister and together changed the landscape of the way people with disabilities were viewed in the business world. The heart and soul of Bender Consulting Services are based on performance at the highest level, “No Pity”. I always say, “Americans with disabilities need Paychecks not Pity.” Tony mentored me with a fierce focus on this talent pool being a business investment for corporate America—not a charity.
I would never be able to list all the CEOs and Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen, Tony and I met with to encourage them to partner with Bender Consulting Services. Tony became the Chair of the Bender Advisory Board in the year 2001 and he challenged the advisors to help expand Bender. “Tell me what you are going to do to help Joyce grow Bender Consulting Services, Inc.”
With the high unemployment of Americans with Disabilities, Tony and I worked together to see thousands of Americans with disabilities people gain competitive employment across the nation. This changed the lives of people with disabilities and the lives of their families demonstrably. When a person with a disability gains employment it changes everything –it provides them with freedom.
My best example of the impact of Tony’s leadership was the surprise wedding at the Bender Family Picnic in Pittsburgh. I found very gainful competitive employment in information technology for two people with significant disabilities including a person who is blind, living at the poverty level. From no money to a six-digit income was a miracle to Travis and Maria. These Bender employees met at their new positions at the same company working in the SAP IT area and a beautiful romance began. They both attended the Bender Family picnic and so did Tony, He attends the picnic every year. At the picnic, Travis and Maria surprised us when they told us they were getting married and would like Tony and me to be the Best Man and Maid of Honor at the wedding. When? That same day. My staff had worked with Maria behind the scenes and secured a Justice of the Peace and the rest is beautiful history, Travis and Maria have two beautiful children.
Tony and I both have epilepsy, and I tell everyone that when you have epilepsy, you have too many neurons firing off and that means “Firepower.” I have seen this “Tony Firepower” in action since we met and a determination to help me help those, he wants to see hired the most—Americans with Disabilities.
* Tony and Jill Houghton, CEO of Disability:IN, were recently interviewed by Joyce Bender as a part of her Disability Matters podcast. The audio recording can be listened to here.