From a young age, Ann Cramer says, she mapped out a faith statement to guide her through life. It goes like this:
“I want to be a part of a company, community, organization, people who are all walking towards creating a world in which every child has the opportunity to grow up as a strong, smart, contributing, interdependent citizen.”
At 65, the Inman Park resident’s resume underscores that commitment. Cramer’s day job is director of IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs for the Americas, which includes oversight of the company’s philanthropic and corporate social responsibility efforts.
In her spare time, Cramer chairs or serves on so many nonprofit boards, task forces and advisory committees that listing them would take most of this column. Here are a few: Woodruff Arts Center, UGA Board of Visitors, Voices for Georgia’s Children, Hands On Atlanta. Last week, she was named chair of the Carter Center’s Board of Councilors.
We caught up with this mover and shaker on the telephone in California, where she was working on a major IBM initiative to help cities. One of Cramer’s chief passions is improving public education. Her husband teaches physics at Grady High School and the couple has two grown children.
Q: You have a very long title at IBM. What is it that you do there?
A: From the day the company opened its doors, it understood its mutual role and responsibility with every community in which it had the privilege of working. My role is the primary philanthropy work, corporate citizenship and community relations. We have the field responsibility for government programs. I always say I get to put the glow in the IBM logo.
Q: Can you give me something tangible that IBM is doing?
A: One of the most exciting is what we are doing in our philanthropies. We will be making an offer to 100 cities around the world to help them address some of their critical issues: water, transportation, education, public safety. We will take the best IBM resources and incredible talent to help the cities work better.
Q: Corporate America, especially for those who have been laid off, isn’t high on a lot of people’s list just now. Does that affect your job?
A: I speak all over the world about the role of companies, how important it is that they reflect what it means to be a good citizen. This is our centennial year. We will have all of our IBMers pledge to make a commitment to give back to the community as volunteers.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in your new role at the Carter Center?
A: My role is very small, but the opportunity to learn from president and Mrs. Carter is just enormous. I not only have so much respect and affection for them, I just cherish that they have lived out a similar faith statement.
Q: You were chair of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and the Atlanta Partners for Education. How are our schools and kids are doing?
A: We have made enormous progress. We are really moving to provide teachers with the content and the competency to be effective in the classroom. We still have lots of challenges from the confluence of so many issues, such as the economy.
Q: Why did you choose to send your children to public school?
A: We were very committed to the public school system, and we chose to live in the city of Atlanta for that reason. We were blessed that our children were happy and thrived in that environment.
Q: Has being a woman contributed to your accomplishments?
A: I do bring a woman’s perspective to the table, and for years there weren’t many women around. I think that practical problem-solving that comes with being a math major has been to my advantage.
Q: You have received a lot of recognition for your civic and community work. Any award you are most proud of?
A: If I am ever honored, it is more that I am a symbol of so many people who do so much work and give so much time and brainpower to the community. I feel I am the tip of the iceberg that you see.
Q: Many people would look at your bio and say, “I could never do all that.” What would you say to them?
A: I would say find something that you have a passion for and that feeds you instead of depletes you. Probably my biggest passion at this point is to reach people, no matter where they are on their life journey, to find a space where they can make a difference.
Q: Where do you get all of your energy?
A: It is a gift and I am very aware of that. It is a “mentally healthy, physically healthy, spiritually healthy” gift. Every day you can be mad or sad or glad or happy. I choose glad and happy.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by e-mail at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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