Lime Connect was founded as a not for profit corporation in March of 2006 to represent a fresh, out-of-the box business approach in the disability talent space. The organization was founded by Rich Donovan, a Columbia MBA and former member of Merrill Lynch's proprietary trading team, and has been led since inception by president/CEO Susan Lang with Pat Holt.
Straight talk and outcome focus - these are critical to our success. Disability has been the realm of the 'do-gooder', relying on the heart string for a siren song. The problem with this approach is that potential is ignored, and productivity is forgone to focus on short-term 'solutions' from ad-hoc committees.
The primary consequence of this historical approach is a mainstream view that people with disabilities (PWDs) are unable to produce and must be cared for. Disability is a radioactive brand.
Lime Connect recognizes that in order to reach our objectives, we must be bold in re-branding disability. Lime Connect sees current branding, and its consequences, as the single-largest barrier to reaching our objective.
The approach we take is simple: kill the current brand with quality. PWDs can, and will, deliver quality. Lime Connect packages that quality in a results-driven message, with a little bit of an edge to it. Over time, quality always wins.
2010 Lime Connect Fellows outline of "The Cycle of Lime" from the leadership symposium
Lime Connect was founded by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and PepsiCo, joined by Google, Target and Goldman Sachs. Following a series of successful pilot events, Lime Connect Canada was founded in May of 2009, and partners include BMO, IBM Canada, RBC and TD. Bank of America, Google and PepsiCo's partnerships provide them with access to the Canada talent pool as well.
Our original model was based on the successful efforts directed at other segments of the diversity candidate pool, with Lime Connect hosting metro and campus recruitment events that directly connected our partners to talented students and alumni with disabilities for internship and full time positions. In the fall of 2009 we formally revisited this strategy based on a desire to provide additional value to our partners and candidates, and undertook an important strategic planning process. The four programs below are the result of that strategic focus:
The Lime Connect Fellowship Program - our premier, targeted program in the U.S. designed for high-potential current sophomores/rising juniors who happen to have disabilities at leading universities across the country.
Lime Connect Canada Corporate Recruitment Events - targeting current students, and alumni, with disabilities for internship, summer, co-op and full time positions.
Lime Connect Scholarship Programs - co-branded scholarships provided by our corporate partners support the studies of students with disabilities and often include an internship.
The Lime Network - our broader virtual program that prepares and connects students, and alumni, with disabilities for career success regardless of their geographic location.
Lime Connect is also grateful to Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP for the firm's service as our global pro bono legal counsel, and to Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP for their service as our Canada pro bono legal counsel.
