Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington will honor Ellen Kullman, the former chief executive of the DuPont Co., with the Msgr. Thomas J. Reese Award at its annual dinner, which will be held April 6 at 5 p.m. at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.
Kullman, who retired in October, said faith played a role in creating her belief that businesses have a role to play in the community.
“Receiving the award is recognition that a person can be a successful business leader without ever losing sight of the need for business people to use their skills and resources to contribute to the well-being of the community,” she said.
The award also has meaning because she is a Wilmington native.
Kullman is on the board of trustees of Tufts University and the board of overseers for the Tufts School of Engineering. She is the former chairperson of the U.S.-China Business Council and a member of the Business Council and the National Academy of Engineering. She also was co-chair of the academy’s Committee on Changing the Conversation: From Research to Action.
Kullman lives with her husband Michael in Wilmington. They have three children and are members of St. Joseph on the Brandywine Parish in Greenville.
The Msgr. Reese Award was created in 1989 in memory of the priest who was a community activist and longtime director of Catholic Social Services. It recognizes “exemplary individuals who have demonstrated a deep commitment to promoting and restoring the well-being of people — Catholic Charities’ mission,” according to Catholic Charities. Bishop Malooly will present the award.
Catholic Charities, serving those in need for over 180 years, offers a wide range of services to strengthen families, care for children, assist the disadvantaged, and build human relationships throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Kullman praised the work Charities does in the diocese.
“Catholic Charities’ mission embodies our Catholic values, and its actions collectively channel the compassion of the people of the diocese to individuals whose needs are greatest,” she said.
For tickets, call (302) 655-9624 or visit cdow.org/charities.html.
