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I vividly remember sharing the news with my family, expecting reactions of surprise, but receiving instead commentary that they’d “always assumed” I would be a business owner someday, echoing back to my history as a student and volunteer with Junior Achievement. My personal history with JA empowered me, and this summer I will celebrate 20 years of business ownership, thriving with revenues tenfold since purchase.
We are excited to welcome two new faces to our Board of Directors!
Assad Lazarus, CDO & EVP, Public Sector, Purchasing Power
Assad is a senior executive with over 25 years of demonstrated success leading strategy and financial growth for diverse organizations within financial services, data, and technology businesses. During his career, he has partnered with C-level leaders and Board of Directors to identify and pursue profitable new opportunities, products, and markets. In his current role as Chief Development Officer and EVP, Public Sector, Assad is responsible for leading Purchasing Power’s public sector division and spearheading strategic business development efforts to drive growth-oriented partnerships across the company.
Prior to joining Purchasing Power in 2020, Lazarus spent over 10 years with Equifax where he held a variety of executive positions leading vertical business lines focused on delivering financial, credit, identity, insurance, and analytical services to the consumer market. He also led product strategy, innovation and development for Equifax’s Personal Solutions division. In addition, Lazarus’ career includes over 15 years in the telecommunications and energy industries – with AT&T & Reliant Energy - where he held a wide variety of senior leadership roles in marketing, operations, product management, and strategy.
Assad has served on several non-profit boards, including the Trust for Public Land and the Atlanta YMCA. He also actively serves as a fundraiser for the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation. Assad earned his undergraduate degree in Applied Math-Statistics & Economics from State University of New York at Stony Brook, and his MBA in Finance & Marketing from Emory University in Atlanta.
Assad currently lives in Atlanta, GA with his son, Matthew. He has a passion for leadership, coaching youth sports, volunteering, playing golf, and travel.
Sachin Sachdeva, Managing Director, COO of Client Experience Platform & Atlanta iHub, BlackRock
In his CEP role, Sachin Sachdeva he is focused on building new digital capabilities that support a holistic experience for institutional clients. In his Atlanta iHub role, he is responsible for supporting the growth of the office to ~1,000 people in the next 3 years while creating a culture of transformation and community engagement.
Sachin joined BlackRock from SSA & Company, a boutique operations consulting firm, where he was most recently the Financial Services Practice Lead. He managed engagements that helped clients increase efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction and improve earnings. Prior to BlackRock, he spent several years at Bank of America, including as Senior Vice President in Consumer Banking, leading various efforts to improve client satisfaction, retention and profitability of banking customers.
He has a BA in Economics from the University of Maryland and a MBA from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.
Chastain to receive Junior Achievement Gold Leadership Award for more than a decade of service to Junior Achievement of Georgia
ATLANTA– Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia announced today that Lynn Chastain, retired Chief Council, Chick-fil-A, Inc., has received the JA Gold Leadership Award. Chastain currently serves on the JA of Georgia Executive Committee and formerly served as Chair of the Board of Directors.
“Lynn is so deserving of this award, and we are incredibly proud and honored that she is one of this year’s recipients,’ said John Hancock, President and CEO, JA of Georgia. “Lynn’s dedication to our mission has resulted in an incredible impact on the students of our state, and we are so fortunate to have her insight and passion.”
This award is the highest recognition bestowed by Junior Achievement USA and is presented to JA volunteers who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to deliver JA programs in their communities, and may also dedicate their valuable time to serving on local JA boards. This year’s eight recipients from across the nation contribute a variety of ideals including creativity, effectiveness and drive, but most importantly, a deep a commitment the future of our next generation.
Chastain’s involvement with JA of Georgia began in 2002 as the lead for Chick-fil-A volunteer efforts, and she has served on the Board of Directors since 2008, spearheading the group as Board Chair from 2017-2019. She has been one of the organization’s most prominent and important thought leaders over the past decade, a time in which the organization saw tremendous change and growth. Student numbers, contact hours, board size, staff size and budget all increased tremendously during the time of Lynn’s active service.
More importantly, the organization’s change initiatives refocused the mission and brand during that time. Lynn has overseen the creation of four capstone centers and the launch of 3DE Schools by Junior Achievement, and along the way has been a tireless advocate for this work. She has also been a steady voice for excellence in these new operational models and insisted on building long-term plans to ensure sustainability.
Chastain is deeply committed to people; their education, their advancement and their dignity. This is seen in the way she led the Legal Team at Chick-fil-A and certainly in the way she led at JA. From interactions with fellow directors, to members of the staff to the students served, Chastain led with humility and integrity. She works from a servant mindset and is all about promoting growth and opportunity for all.
Chastain will be recognized for this achievement on March 25 at the annual JA USA Volunteer Summit.
