PHAME Announces Consumer Cellular as Winner of First Annual One Community Luncheon “Excellence in Inclusive Employment Award”

PHAME, the Portland region’s acclaimed arts nonprofit, announced today that Oregon-based business Consumer Cellular has been selected as the first winner of PHAME’s new Excellence in Inclusive Employment Award.

“We are proud to recognize Consumer Cellular and their co-founder and CEO, John Marick, for their strong work in creating fair wage, inclusive employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities,” says PHAME Executive Director Stephen Marc Beaudoin. “The families that nominated Consumer Cellular spoke enthusiastically of the commitment the company has to providing good, fair wage jobs to talented employees with intellectual disabilities, and to the creativity and commitment they bring to accommodations that best support the success of all employees. We are so pleased to recognize Consumer Cellular with this award, and look forward to sparking an even broader movement for community inclusion in the arts and across our entire community.”

Members of the team from Consumer Cellular – recognized by the Portland Business Journal for seven years running as one of Oregon’s fastest growing companies – and CEO Marick will be in attendance at PHAME’s first annual One Community luncheon on Wednesday, March 22, at the Sentinel Hotel, to accept the award.

In response to receiving the award, Marick had this to say:
“Consumer Cellular is committed to a diverse and dedicated workforce who are all working hard to serve our customers.  The enthusiasm and energy our employees with intellectual disabilities bring to the work environment is contagious, and helps us all to be better at what we do. We are very pleased at Consumer Cellular to be receiving this recognition. In reality, it is our employees with intellectual disabilities that should be getting recognized for their contributions to our company.  We hope all companies will look for opportunities to hire these individuals.”

John Marick also happens to be one of the sons of legendary parent advocate Judy Marick, one of the founding families of PHAME in 1984.

PHAME’s first annual One Community luncheon will be held at noon on Wednesday, March 22, at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland. A limited number of tickets ($75 each) are still available for the event online at phamepdx.org