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AFL Associate Receives Walter S. Montgomery, Sr. Award for Young Leadership

Spartanburg, SC – AFL, a manufacturer of fiber optic cable, accessories and equipment, announces that Katie Klaiber, graphics specialist for AFL, is the recipient of this year’s Walter S. Montgomery, Sr. Award for Young Leadership presented by United Way of the Piedmont. The recipient of Walter S. Montgomery Award for Young Leaders is a member of the community who exhibits uncommon generosity, involvement, and leadership qualities in serving our human service organization and initiatives. The award is intended to applaud the individual who is making a difference. It is not merely a measure of how many boards or committees one joins, but the energy, passion, and enthusiasm they give to those endeavors. 

Katie Klaiber (pictured right) Receives Award for Young Leadership

Each year, United Way of the Piedmont selects one outstanding individual to receive the Montgomery Award. Maria Maddin, Director of Leadership Donor Relations for United Way of the Piedmont, presented the award to Katie Klaiber.

“Katie, Chair of our Young Leaders Advisory Board, uses her time, talent, and leadership to continue moving UWP’s work forward,” said Maria. “During a difficult year, Katie has encouraged our Young Leaders Advisory Board to be creative and try new things. Katie’s positive energy and willingness to try, even though things are tough, serves as a reminder to all that know her of what resiliency can look like.”

Young Leaders is a United Way donor group for donors age 40 or younger who give $100 or more annually towards the work of United Way of the Piedmont. The group gathers periodically to learn about community issues, volunteer for the community and engage in networking events.

"I am greatly honored to have received the Walter S. Montgomery Award this year. Being a part of the Young Leaders Advisory board over the past four years has given me a deeper understanding of the needs of the Spartanburg community and provided opportunities where I can make a difference,” commented Katie. “It is truly a privilege to partner with so many great people as we attempt in some small way to assist those in need in the Spartanburg community."

United Way of the Piedmont’s mission is to connect, engage and inspire people to transform the community. By 2030, its goal is to decrease the number of individuals living below self-sufficiency by 11,000. As part of their work in education, financial stability and health, United Way of the Piedmont is committed to ensuring that the programs invested in, and the outcomes generated are equitable.

AFL has partnered with United Way of the Piedmont for several years now through hosting an annual campaign, volunteer opportunities and board and committee participation. In 2021, AFL and its associates donated $496,000 to the community.
For additional information about AFL, its products and service, visit www.AFLglobal.com.

About AFL
Founded in 1984, AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions to the electric utilities, wireline and wireless network operators, cloud content providers, and enterprise markets as well as industrial markets which support oil & gas, mining, defense and more. The company’s products are in use in over 130 countries and include fiber optic cable and hardware, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, fusion splicers and training. AFL also offers a wide variety of services supporting data center, enterprise, wireless and outside plant applications.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, AFL has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit www.AFLglobal.com. Follow us on LinkedInTwitterFacebook, and read our blog.

Contact
Corie Culp
Public Relations Manager, AFL
864.433.5409
Corie.Culp@AFLglobal.com