The lives of 80 students from a Cleveland, OH, inner-city high school are being transformed, thanks to the support of Michael B. Petras, President and CEO of GE Lighting. Onsite at GE Lighting’s Nela Park facility, employees are mentoring and teaching students from MC2STEM High School in science, engineering, tech and math. Michael was instrumental in creating this program, which shows what can be achieved when business directly helps educate our youth.

The partnership between GE and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District was the first in the country. Hundreds of volunteers from all disciplines – marketing, IT, finance, HR, project management, engineering, science – not only tutor and mentor students, but they also help teachers provide real-life learning opportunities. They serve as role models and resources to help ensure the ongoing success of the students.

The schools partnership is just one of the volunteer projects Michael is involved in. He supports the annual Global Community Day where more than 500 local GE employees and retirees renovate a Cleveland nonprofit organization. His support of GE employee efforts helped make possible their 8,100 volunteer hours in 2009. Michael serves as a board member of the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP), one of the largest metropolitan chambers of commerce in the nation. He has also served on the Executive Board and as the 2009 Loaned Executive Co-Chair of the United Way of Greater Cleveland.