SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) announced today it has hired a former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor to lead a new position dedicated to people with disabilities and their families.
Kathy Martinez, former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, will lead the People with Disabilities segment focus, beginning March 16. In this new role, she will work with line of business and channel leaders, a network of Wells Fargo team members with disabilities, as well as customers, communities and advocacy groups to expand the company’s capabilities and programs dedicated to serving customers with disabilities.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kathy to Wells Fargo,” said Stephanie Smith, Head of Marketing Strategy and Segments. “Her extensive experience and knowledge of the needs of people with disabilities will help us continue to deliver on our vision to help all of our customers, communities and team members succeed financially.”
Martinez has held her position at the Labor Department since 2009, and expanded opportunities for people with disabilities. During her tenure, she helped strengthen federal contractors' responsibilities to hire, retain and advance qualified people with disabilities, and played a critical role in President Barack Obama's 2010 executive order directing federal agencies to increase the representation of people with disabilities in their workforces. She led other key initiatives that increased employment of civilians and veterans with disabilities across public and private sectors.
Previously, Martinez was Executive Director of the World Institute on Disability, a Berkeley, Calif., organization focused on increasing employment, economic security and health care for persons with disabilities. Her work included developing a campaign for the 2006 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. She has collaborated with organizations around the world, including the State Department’s U.S. Agency for International Development, the International Labour Organization and major corporations, including Wells Fargo.
Martinez said: “I have been impressed with Wells Fargo’s focus on diversity and inclusion, and specifically its commitment to serve consumers and team members with disabilities. I look forward to expanding those opportunities for people with disabilities to make sure everyone can succeed financially.”
Martinez, who is blind, served on the National Council on Disability, the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the State Department's advisory committee on disability and foreign policy.
About Wells Fargo & Company
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2014 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.