Operation A.B.L.E. Honors Wayne Budd At 25th Anniversary Gala

Boston, Mass. – Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston is proudly honoring Wayne A. Budd, Esq., Senior Counsel of Goodwin Procter, LLP, at its 25th Anniversary Starfish Thrower Award Gala on May 2 at Boston’s Seaport Hotel.

Budd will be presented with Operation A.B.L.E.’s Starfish Thrower Award in recognition of his support of many non-profit organizations in Greater Boston, as well as his mentoring of so many individuals in the community. The Partnership, Squash Busters, the New England Innocence Project, and Operation A.B.L.E. are just a few of the non-profit groups that he has helped cultivate over the years. In addition to serving on the Boards of Wheaton College and Boston College, Budd taught law at Boston College Law School. 

Operation A.B.L.E.provides employment and training services for job seekers age 45 and older. The agency has helped more than 25,000 people return to work, serving individuals from economically, racially, and occupationally diverse backgrounds that have been adversely affected by downsizings, mergers, and relocations.
According to Operation A.B.L.E. Executive Director Joan Cirillo, it is because of his concern for others that Budd stands out. “It is that special caring and his mentoring of so many individuals that are hallmarks of Wayne's commitment to the community,” Cirillo said. “For some, Wayne was their first boss. For others, their favorite boss, and still others, a mentor who helped guide them along the road to success. He is an extraordinary individual who has remained a true friend of Operation A.B.L.E. and we are honored to be recognizing him with our Starfish Thrower Award for 2007.”

The Starfish Thrower Award is based on a story from the book “The Star Thrower,” by Loren C. Eiseley, in which an older man encounters a wise young man walking the beach the morning after a storm, tossing starfish back into the ocean before they die in the afternoon sun -- a task that appears futile given the millions of starfish that had washed ashore the previous night. When told that his solitary effort couldn’t possibly make a difference given the enormity of the problem, the wise man simply picked up another stranded starfish and threw it back into the sea. “It made a difference to that one,” he replied.

Budd has spent a lifetime making a difference one starfish at a time. In addition to serving as United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Associate Attorney General of the United States, Group President, New England of Bell Atlantic and Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of John Hancock Financial Services, he served on many government, academic and public service boards and commissions.

Operation A.B.L.E. is also recognizing Jane C. Edmonds, former Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for her enduring advocacy for the mature worker.

About Operation Able
Founded in 1982, Operation A.B.L.E.(Ability Based on Long Experience) of Greater Boston, Inc. (www.operationable.net) is a private, non-profit, 501c(3) organization providing employment and training services for job seekers of all ages, particularly mature workers 45 and older. The agency has helped more than 25,000 people return to work, serving individuals from economically, racially, and occupationally diverse backgrounds that have been adversely affected by downsizings, mergers, and relocations. 


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