Skills for America's Future Announces New Advisory Board Leadership

Snap-On Inc.'s Nick Pinchuk and Gap Inc.'s Eva Sage-Gavin Appointed as the New Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aspen Institute announced today that Nick Pinchuk, chairman and CEO of Snap-On Inc., and Eva Sage-Gavin, executive vice president of Gap Inc., have been appointed to lead the Skills for America's Future advisory board. Skills for America's Future (SAF) is an employer-led policy initiative in which education and training providers work together with employers to prepare individuals with the skills that will allow American businesses to be more productive, innovative, and competitive. 

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Pinchuk assumes the chair's role from founding SAF board chair Penny Pritzker, who was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Commerce on June 26, 2013.

In announcing these appointments, Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson said, "We are indebted to Penny Pritzker for her leadership and service as board chair to Skills for America's Future. She helped build and expand relationships among dozens of American employers and community colleges over the past two years. Now, Nick Pinchuk and Eva Sage-Gavin, leaders of two major, innovative employers, are prepared to build upon this legacy."

Pinchuk was elected CEO of Snap-on in December 2007 and subsequently chairman in April 2009. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $2.9 billion, S&P 500 company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global innovator, manufacturer, and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information, and systems solutions for professional users. In 2006, Snap-on expanded upon its historic emphasis on technical training by partnering with educational institutions and the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) to offer curriculum-based product certifications. Today, the company partners with more than 70 technical colleges to help bolster the number of qualified technicians around the country. The program has certified more than 4,000 students, more than 400 technical instructors and more than 150 high school instructors.

Eva Sage-Gavin is executive vice president, global human resources and corporate affairs for Gap Inc. Founded in 1969, Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix brands. In 2011, Gap Inc. launched a pilot workforce preparedness program through its Gap brand stores for community college students in seven U.S. cities. The program has grown to 21 markets and now crosses Gap Inc. brands, with a strategy in place to support its continued growth.  Since the inception of the program, more than 1,700 students have completed it. The company has hired more than 20,000 community college students and awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships. 

Pinchuk and Sage-Gavin are currently leading a strategic planning process with the Skills for America's Future advisory board. SAF's updated strategic focus is scheduled to be announced in Fall 2013. 

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, D.C.; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

SOURCE The Aspen Institute