CADD Microsystems Foundation Supports Erika Brannock, Local Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor

The CADD Microsystems Foundation - Building Community from the Foundation Up

News provided by

Mar 20, 2014, 09:55 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CADD Microsystems, an Autodesk Platinum Partner, is pleased to announce that local Boston Marathon survivor Erika Brannock was selected as the charter recipient for the CADD Microsystems Foundation – the company's charitable organization. Erika is a pre-school teacher from Towson, Maryland, and was injured during the Boston Marathon bombing in April of 2013.

Erika Brannock was gracious enough to meet the CADD Foundation committee members in person to accept its donation, and shared her inspiring story of perseverance and strength. (PRNewsFoto/CADD Microsystems) (PRNewsFoto/CADD MICROSYSTEMS)

Erika had gone to Boston with her sister to cheer her mother on in the marathon. They were stationed close to the finish line when the bombs went off, and she and her sister were sent to different hospitals for treatment. After spending more than 50 days in the hospital - the longest of any of the survivors – Erika was able to return back home to continue her recovery.

Erika and her mother were gracious enough to accept the contribution in person during an extended visit, which gave the Foundation committee members the opportunity to learn more about Erika's experience, and more importantly, her outlook for the future.

"Meeting Erika was unbelievably inspiring for everyone involved," said Susan Thomson, CFO and owner at CADD Microsystems. "With all that Erika has been through, she maintains a positive attitude about life and her future. She serves as a real example for always persevering in the face of any challenge, no matter how daunting."

Supporting members of the local community was the reason the CADD Foundation was established. The seed money was contributed from both the employees and the owners of CADD Microsystems, which worked in its first year to raise funds, establish partnerships and benefit local communities around its Alexandria, Richmond and Baltimore offices.

Since its inception less than a year ago, the CADD Foundation has already made a difference. It has made donations to the Special Olympics, the American Cancer Society, Wesley Housing Development Corporation and the USO, in addition to Erika.

To encourage others to participate, the Foundation has hosted bake sales, football pools, and spirit days where employees get to wear themed or casual clothing in exchange for a donation. It collected coats, helped local children with their holiday wish lists, and sent the CEO rappelling down a 25-story office building to raise money.

For more information about the CADD Foundation, or to participate in any of its activities, please visit http://www.caddmicrosystems.com/foundation. For more information about Erika Brannock and her recovery, visit her website.

About CADD Microsystems

For more than 25 years, CADD Microsystems has delivered products, services and solutions that consistently exceed customer expectations. Our customers represent the complete spectrum of professionals in the building and infrastructure community, including architectural design professionals; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers; civil engineers; visualization designers; construction companies; GIS and mapping firms; facilities management firms and utilities in both the public and private sectors. The solutions we implement range from Building Information Modeling to Computer Aided Design to Facilities Management products and services. We are one of the largest providers of Autodesk products and services to the Federal government and commercial firms, and one of only a few U.S. resellers designated as an Autodesk Platinum Partner. We've earned the prestigious Autodesk Reseller of the Year award, and nationwide customer surveys say we have the #1 Autodesk instructor in North America. But the greatest metric of our success is in our long-term customer relationships and the loyalty we've earned. Our focus is first and foremost on client needs. By helping our customers manage and execute projects flawlessly, we continue to be the company our customers want us to be. Learn more at http://www.caddmicrosystems.com.

Autodesk and the Autodesk logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140320/PH87346

SOURCE CADD Microsystems