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Lauren Eissey

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PALM BEACH COUNTY FOOD BANK APPOINTS FIVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

New members bring robust backgrounds and vision to alleviate hunger in Palm Beach County

(Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) – The Palm Beach County Food Bank (PBCFB) has added new faces to its esteemed Board of Directors who are passionate about turning hunger into hope. According to Marti LaTour, PBCFB Board Chairman, the Food Bank has elected Bob O’Connell, Eileen P. Acello, Jorge Avellana, Susan Rabinowitz and South Bay Mayor Joe Kyles to help hundreds of thousands of foodinsecure residents in Palm Beach County. The new appointees will support the nonprofit’s mission “to alleviate hunger in Palm Beach County” by providing access to nutritious and substantial food to hungry neighbors.

O’Connell and his wife Christine reside in Delray Beach, Fla. Prior to his career, he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Providence College and a master’s degree from Dowling College. O’Connell provides nearly 50 years of experience having served in director, vice president and executive roles with the Internal Revenue Service, PwC Consulting and Tyco International Inc. Other accolades include being a Vietnam veteran, serving as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army and teaching as an adjunct accounting professor at Worcester State College.

Acello and her husband John reside in West Palm Beach, Fla. with their three children. She has a bachelor’s degree in food marketing and a master’s degree in training and organizational development from Saint Joseph’s University. Her career path has led her to serve as a marketing professional and educator for more than 25 years with a specialty in the food and allied industry. Today, she works fulltime as a professor in Florida Atlantic University’s marketing department while also consulting for Acello & Associates, LLC. Prior to joining the PBCFB board, Acello held the role of director of development and recruitment for the Academy of Food Marketing with Saint Joseph’s University.

Jorge Avellana currently lives in Palm Springs, Fla., however, hails from Havana, Cuba and arrived in the U.S. at 14-years-old. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Fairleigh Dickinson University and went on to work for IBM for nearly 15 years specializing in accounting, manufacturing and scheduling new products. Avellana is active in the Hispanic community where he currently serves as the executive director for the Hispanic Human Resources Council, on the board of directors of the Cuban American Club of PBC and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of PBC to name a few. His lifework centers around providing equality, freedom and opportunity for all men and women.

Susan Rabinowitz and her husband Paul live in West Palm Beach, Fla. with their four children. She has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida Atlantic University and holds more than 25 years of experience delivering customized financial solutions to meet the specific needs of her clients. As Bank of America’s Mid-Atlantic senior vice president and credit risk executive, Rabinowitz is instrumental in advising clients in healthcare, education and nonprofit industries. Additionally, she is involved in organizations such as the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County and promotes equality and inclusion by mentoring women-owned businesses, acting as a LGBT ally and supporting the Vital Voices Global Ambassador program.

South Bay Mayor Joe Kyles has laid his home roots in South Florida since 1970. He graduated from Lake Shore Junior High in Belle Glade and advanced into vocational training at North Technical School. Kyles comes from a decorated 20-year career as a division supervisor with the Okeelanta Sugar Corporation and a 20-year career as a labor negotiator with the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers. He is the recipient of several community and humanitarian awards and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for South Bay residents as mayor and chair deacon of Mount Calvary Missionary Church.

“The pandemic has put families and their food security in a more vulnerable position than ever before,” said LaTour. “However, our new and existing board members give us the utmost confidence on delivering practical and cost-efficient solutions to food assistance. The diverse industry experience that they bring to our Food Bank is a great asset to the evolving needs in every hungry household.”

Historically, the Palm Beach County Food Bank provided access to nutritious food for more than 200,000 hungry Palm Beach County residents every month. Since COVID-19 disrupted the county’s economy, the demand for the Food Bank’s services has tripled. While pre-COVID 19 distributions averaged close to five million pounds per year, the current facility is now distributing close to 1.5 million pounds of food per month. The Palm Beach County Food Bank procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and provides it to almost 200 local community partners.

For more information about PBCFB, or Hunger Action Month, please visit pbcfoodbank.org. For further details on board members, please contact PBCFB at 561-670-2518.