Head-Shaving

Hope for Kids With Cancer Is Built on NetApp

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
January 10, 2012
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When most companies think about bringing their clients and business partners together, they host a golf outing, a cocktail party, or a dinner. But for a company as innovative and committed to social responsibility as NetApp, that just wouldn’t do.

In 2007, Bill Hogan, East Area Vice President, and Joey Santamorena, Americas Sales Director, decided to shave their heads for St. Baldrick’s to raise money for childhood cancer research, inviting their colleagues, family members, partners, and customers to join them for “Bill & Joey’s Excellent Shaving Adventure.”

Since then, NetApp has adopted St. Baldrick’s into their company culture, which includes customers, employees, partners, families, friends, and giving back to those in need. In 2010, ten offices joined the effort, with 115 employees participating as shavees. In 2011, their participation doubled – 19 offices, and 355 NetApp employees, friends, family, and colleagues joined in the mission to conquer kids’ cancer. In total, their efforts raised more than one million dollars in a single year for childhood cancer research – a new record for corporate fundraising for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

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In 2011, NetApp Sunnyvale hosted their second annual event at their corporate campus. That team raised nearly $200,000, and several employees had the NetApp logo shaved into their heads before going bald.

In Singapore, Loh Ching Soo had the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s mascot “Lucky” tattooed on his calf. In New York City, for the fourth year, the team was able to ring the NASDAQ opening bell on behalf of the Foundation.

Vice Chairman Tom Mendoza again brought fellow Notre Dame alumni Justin Tuck of the New York Giants and Ryan Grant of the Green Bay Packers as shavees to their New York City event. Their participation must have brought them good luck, as the two teams will face off on the January 15th playoff game. Whatever the outcome, a St. Baldrick’s shavee will be headed to the NFC championship game on January 22nd!

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When asked about the explosion of support from NetApp colleagues, clients, and vendors, Hogan said, “The contributions big and small, exhibited by our individuals worldwide characterize NetApp’s culture and collective consciousness. We allow for five volunteer days off in a year to support efforts such as these. St. Baldrick’s represents an example of employees taking advantage of this benefit, producing tangible results and helping others in a big way.”

With a corporate culture like this, it is no surprise that NetApp is the top corporate fundraising team for the Foundation in 2011, as well as the top corporate fundraising campaign. It is also easy to see why they have been on Fortune magazine’s “Best Companies to Work for” Top 100 list for nine years in a row!

How did NetApp raise more than a million dollars in 2011? By working together! Take a look at the offices who made it happen:

 

Office # of Shavees Amount Raised # of Years
Atlanta 3 $11,112 1
Austin 7 $11,604 1
Boston 16 $30,383 2
Chicago 6 $11,685 1
Dallas 19 $37,054 2
Detroit 6 $15,635 1
Houston 5 $8,646 1
Minnesota 7 $25,025 2
New York 65 $310,885 5
Orange County 9 $32,006 1
Pittsburgh 4 $7,142 1
RTP 34 $37,979 1
Singapore 11 $135,219 2
Sunnyvale 64 $183,067 2
Toronto 23 $30,892 1
UK 26 $26,895 1
VTC 4 $1,887 1
Washington DC 38 $76,864 2
Wisconsin 8 $9,903 1

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