Former LA Lakers and UCLA Basketball Great Keith Erickson To Host JVS 80th Anniversary Gala

Online, January 18, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Keith Erickson, former L.A. Lakers and UCLA Bruins basketball star and sports broadcaster, will host the Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) 80th Anniversary Gala on January 29, 2011 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

"We are honored that Keith will be hosting our event, said JVS CEO Vivian Seigel. "He brings a deep, personal understanding of the importance of teamwork, character and commitment, from his years with Coach Wooden, and we are pleased that he has taken the time to observe JVS programs in action. He has seen the impact we have in the lives of our clients, helping put people back to work in this challenging job market and we hope this will be the beginning of a strong partnership."

A native of San Francisco, Keith Erickson grew up in Southern California. After graduating from El Segundo High School, Erickson attended UCLA on a basketball/baseball scholarship where he played on Coach John Wooden's first two NCAA Championship teams at UCLA in the mid-60's. Coach Wooden went on to win ten NCAA Championships in 12 years and coached some of the greatest collegiate basketball players in the country. It is significant that Coach Wooden called Erickson "the best athlete I ever coached."

"Having Coach Wooden as an integral part of my life, I understand the importance of a powerful legacy, and therefore I am honored to be a part of JVS's Gala, celebrating the agency's impressive legacy of changing people's lives in a meaningful way for 80 years."

Erickson played in the NBA for 12 years; five of those years with the Los Angeles Lakers where his teammates were Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. He also played on the U.S. Men's Volleyball team in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Erickson partnered with Chick Hearn, the 'Voice of the Lakers', to broadcast Lakers games on radio and television for eight seasons after retiring from the NBA. He currently works as a consultant for several Southern California companies and speaks to numerous groups on 'The Legacy of John Wooden...from one of his boys who knew him best."

Founded in 1931, JVS has been at the forefront in the field of workforce development, taking a lead on a broad range of progressive initiatives since its inception. The agency has taken the lead on fair employment practices, the employment needs of returning veterans as far back as World War II, advocating for women in the workforce during and after the war, mentoring at-risk youth since the 1940s, taking a stand on accommodations for people with disabilities in the 1950s, and launching innovative job training programs in the 1970s. Over the years, JVS has participated in war commissions, welfare summits and policy meetings concerning the employment and resettlement needs of immigrants from Germany, Shanghai, Russia and Iran.

Today, JVS' partnerships within the corporate and non-profit communities have resulted in over 20 different programs, including its signature Bankworks™ and Healthworks™ training initiatives, high placement rates, and nearly 30,000 clients served yearly. The agency's newest program, JVS' Veterans First, assists recently returned veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan transition to the civilian workforce.

For more information on JVS programs and the 80th Anniversary Gala, please visit www.jvsla.org. You can also find JVS on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @JVSlosangeles.