By Michael Bzdak, Director, Johnson & Johnson Corporate Contributions

Having worked in Johnson & Johnson’s corporate contributions group for the past 16 years, I’ve seen a lot of great charitable initiatives flourish thanks to corporate giving. But one thing that goes unnoticed far too often is what employees do in their communities.

While I can’t speak for other companies, more than 80 percent of Johnson & Johnson employees are active volunteers – many of whom are connected to community organizations through a Volunteer Support Office that I just happen to run.

There’s a lot going on.

For instance, just a few weeks ago the entire corporate law department – about 200 people, in fact – put away their laptops and Blackberrys and spent the day at the Cerebral Palsy Association in Edison, NJ, an organization dedicated to serving people of all ages with developmental and related disabilities These folks interacted in the classroom with Lakeview School students, cleaned and beautified the interior and exteriors of group homes, and used some of their hidden talents to solve computer problems and aid with art projects. (See – lawyers CAN be useful! ) This amazingly motivated group serves as an example of employee volunteerism at its best.

I’m always thrilled when my colleagues find opportunities to learn and support, in their own way, organizations that can really make a difference in their communities.

What would life in the business world, academia or the conference scene be without a slide deck?

(Thanks to Adriana)

Late Wednesday, United State District Judge Jed S. Rakoff issued a decision about whether Johnson & Johnson could pursue some of the claims made in its complaint against the American Red Cross to restore the long-held legal boundaries surrounding the use of the Red Cross trademark. Given this matter is still pending, there isn’t much more to say about our legal strategy beyond what has been already said in public statements (here and here) and on this blog (here, here, here and here), but for those who are interested, below is the company’s statement on Wednesday’s decision:

We are pleased that the Court upheld Johnson & Johnson’s use of its Red Cross trademark over the past century as entirely appropriate under federal law, and that the Court upheld our right to pursue the tortious interference and breach of contract claims. We are disappointed that the Court rejected our claims involving ARC’s commercial uses of the emblem. We are reviewing the decision and look forward to continuing this process to resolve our legal dispute with the American Red Cross.

Of course, it is imortant to keep in mind that Johnson & Johnson remains committed to supporting the longstanding mission of the American Red Cross to provide relief services in times of natural disasters.

I usually can’t stomach rubber chicken dinners, but if they were all like the event I went to on last Sunday night, I wouldn’t mind so much.

That night, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (AKA, NJPAC), the freshman class for the New Jersey Hall of Fame was inducted — those honored included Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Malcolm Forbes, Frank Sinatra Toni Morrison, Yogi Berra, Buzz Aldrin, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., Bruce Springsteen and our own Robert Wood Johnson.

Now I’ve lived in NJ for about 13 years (still can’t believe it’s been that long!) and have never considered myself a New Jerseyan. In fact, when we first moved here, my wife came across a New Jersey-based radio station that defines the state by what it is NOT — to this day the announce will scream that this is “Not New York, Not Philadelphia… Proud to be New Jersey” — a phrase that still sets us both off laughing hysterically.

But during his acceptance remarks, Bruce Springsteen not only showed why he is considered a creative genius — he also captured the genius of the Garden State. Bemoaning how NJ is perennially the butt of jokes and “never gets any respect,” Bruce explained:

Perhaps it is this fighting spirit, coupled with the quest to stand up and be recognized by doing something different that has lead so many New Jerseyans to rebel against the status quo and accomplish the remarkable. Certainly that seemed to be one theme that tied most of the award winners together. Indeed, asMargaret points out in her post about the event, many of General Johnson’s ideas:

I like this notion. And perhaps this is one of the reasons why New Jersey remains one of the top medical R&D centers in the world. Certainly marching to a different drum is one key to discovery, but it also requires perseverance and the will to fight on. Or as Edison was famous for saying, “genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”