Organizational Profile The United Way Analysis

Organizational Profile the United Way
ETH/316
August 21, 2012

Organizational Profile the United Way

United Way of America (UWA) is a non-profit organization which helps shape policy and strengths individuals and families in order to achieve greater human potential through education, healthy living, and income stability. This organization has successfully used the public relation process for many years. Their brand and image is world renowned, their messaging and has been clear and concise. More importantly the UWA has helped millions of people of their 150 years of existence.
The Charter of the United Way of America:
The UWA advocates the change of policy relevant to affecting four areas; Education, Income, Health
The pervasive financial scandals that have plagued the UWA are a travesty. Since 1992 there have been at least four separate financial scandals most within the regional offices, however none were are insidious than William Aramony, the President and CEO of UWA for 22 years. Aramony resigned amidst allegations that he siphoned money from UWA through spin-off companies he helped to create. Before the scandal broke however, Aramony was widely respected as one of the most influential nonprofit leaders of his time. He even had a hand in creating many of the rules under which charities operate today. In 1995, Aramony and two conspirators, Thomas Merlo and Stephen Paulachak, were convicted of defrauding UWA. Aramony was convicted on 25 felony counts and sentenced to seven years in prison for fraudulently diverting $1.2 million of the charity 's money to benefit himself and his friends. This scandal is especially memorable given how Aramony chose to use some of the charity 's funds. For instance, he used UWA cash to woo a girl, Lori Villasor, who was only 17 years old when they began dating; Aramony was 59. Aramony 's former aide, Rina Duncan, with whom he also had an affair, testified to falsifying Aramony 's expense records for seven years so that he could charge the charity for things like champagne, flowers and plane tickets for
Motivated by transparency, UWAs are governed by active, responsible, and voluntary governing boards to ensure effective governance over the policies and financial resources of the organization. These boards are responsible for UWAs delivery relevant to the mission of advancing the common good. Ethically, all UWA follow locally adopted codes of ethics for volunteers and staff that include provisions for ethical management, publicity, fundraising practices and full and fair