PHOENIX, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ben Jacobs, celebrated entrepreneur in the veterinary and pet care space, has joined the Board of Directors at PetSmart Charities.
The foremost funder of animal welfare in North America welcomes Jacobs' unique blend of experience and vision. As 42 million Americans may cope with food insecurity in 2021, PetSmart Charities is working to serve pets by reaching the people in need caring for them.
Entrepreneur and Innovator Ben Jacobs Joins Board of Directors at PetSmart Charities
Jacobs, pet parent to his own adopted dogs Duke and Rex, joins a board of community leaders from the corporate, financial and animal welfare sectors. Together they deliver governance, oversight and expertise to the charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for pets.
"Caring for pets makes us all better people," says Aimee Gilbreath, president at PetSmart Charities. "While pet ownership is at an all-time high, we know 80 million pets in the U.S. don't receive adequate veterinary care. We're especially excited Ben is joining us now as we develop new strategies to open access to affordable, quality veterinary care."
Grief that fueled a passion for pets
Jacobs, a Yale graduate, credits his career path to his childhood pet who passed away rather suddenly – a German Shepherd named Bear. His grief turned into a lifelong passion for helping pet parents better identify problems earlier. Bear's story served as inspiration for launching Whistle, a company that redefined veterinary care and was acquired by Mars Petcare in 2016.
Following Whistle's acquisition, Jacobs partnered on Mars' ventures Companion Fund and Leap Venture Studio that back pet care products, technology and services — visionary programs designed to support consequential growth across pet care start-ups as they begin to scale.
In his current role as Managing Partner at Atmosphere, Jacobs brings long-term capital and operational partnership to companies that deliver meaningful value in everyday life. He previously worked as a management consultant at Bain & Company, helping clients across technology, private equity and consumer goods sectors.
"Many of the challenges facing us today are large and complex — access to adoptable pets from reputable sources and rising costs of care as two examples — and require organizations to think differently," says Jacobs. "I'm honored and humbled to contribute to this exceptional group of leaders. Together with committed donors, we can make a meaningful impact on the future of animal welfare."
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps nearly 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $475 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
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