September 6, 2012

Celebrating 20 Years of Synergy through People, Service and Technology

Categories: Technology

By Guest Blogger Paul Lloyd, Education Service Area Manager, USDA TARGET Center
Synergy was aptly described by Aristotle as the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. In the workplace, the idea is simple: by working together a team can accomplish more than if working independently. Yet there is even more to be achieved by enhancing human resources with technology. At the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) TARGET Center, we have learned that it takes a combination of compassionate service providers and advocates, innovative technology and meaningful services to truly make a lasting difference. And by combining these ‘parts’, TARGET has been able to have a synergistic effect on the culture at USDA and help create equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
The TARGET Center 20^th Anniversary is a significant and rewarding milestone for USDA. Since 1992, TARGET Center has witnessed the incredible, rapid advancement of technology for individuals with disabilities. The TARGET Center’s role in providing this technology to the workforce for the past two decades has assisted thousands of individuals with disabilities to further contribute to the mission of the Department of Agriculture. This includes facilitating 1,700 accommodation requests through the Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program from FY 2002 – FY 2011 and providing over 45,000 services to customers at USDA, across the federal government and as the Washington, D.C. Microsoft Accessibility Resource Center over the past two decades.
TARGET services have impacted the lives of individuals with disabilities through technology, support of management, collaboration of partners and the development of meaningful relationships with customers. Join us in celebrating twenty years of synergy through people, service and technology.
About the USDA TARGET Center
The USDA established the TARGET Center in 1992 to utilize the power of technology to improve accessibility and ultimately increase the employment of individuals with disabilities. Over the years, the program evolved into a full-service disability employment service provider for internal and external USDA stakeholders. The TARGET Center accommodates individuals with disabilities, educates management, and leads agency efforts to increase the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities.
The USDA TARGET Center has a demonstrated history of partnering with federal agencies and serving individuals with disabilities around the world, including disability advocates in South Korea and Poland.
We invite you to join the USDA TARGET Center in celebrating our 20^th Anniversary. Unable to attend? Don’t worry: event resources, video and technology will be featured on the TARGET20 mini-site. Follow us on Twitter @USDATARGET for the latest information.
Paul Lloyd began doing communications work at the TARGET Center in September 2001, and has acted as the public relations, marketing and advertising arms of the TARGET Center since, working to balance creating a recognizable ‘brand’ for the TARGET Center while catering to the non-profit culture as well as the disability arena. He is also responsible for TARGET’s training and outreach programs, as well as ensuring that TARGET customers receive the level of service they deserve. Paul received a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Marketing from the University of Maryland in 1999 and a Master’s of Business of Administration from The George Washington University in 2007.