Anita J. Chappell
January 15, 2019
Statement on the Passing of Anita Chappell
As we mourn the loss of our Board Secretary Emerita, Anita J. Chappell, we fondly remember the phenomenal legacy she leaves behind. Her valuable impact on the academic and educational success of hundreds of children, youth and young adults in Philadelphia for several decades is immeasurable.
As the founding director of the Zion P.E.P. Tutorial Institute at the Zion Community Center, Anita honed her managerial and educational leadership acumen. She had a vision for not only teaching the youth in our community, but also training them to be future leaders. As a civic and business leader in the city of Philadelphia, Anita was self-less in her life’s mission to give back to our youth and carry the torch of the late Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan’s mission for community economic empowerment.
She was the Corporate Board Secretary for Progress Investment Associates since its inception and served in that capacity for 58 years until her retirement. Her love for the company was more than evident, because she continued her involvement as Secretary Emerita when called upon to contribute. For decades, she was an example of an adept community collaborator and used her voice to advocate for the economically disadvantaged, as she skillfully navigated the political arena, corporate sector, church community and our local business community.
“Anita was a remarkable woman whose generous heart and rich legacy can be felt throughout Philadelphia. I feel grateful to have known firsthand her mandate for excellence, love for the community, and high educational standards. Thus, I join people across our region in mourning her loss. She was my loyal and trusted partner who was proud that she devoted her life’s work to preserving and maintaining Sullivan Progress Plaza, the nation’s first shopping center, developed, continuously owned and managed by African Americans.”
̶ Wendell R. Whitlock, President & CEO, Progress Trust, Inc.
