2015 Service to Society Award

Michael Dinda, ‘86, General Arts and Sciences, is Chief Lending Officer  and  Executive Vice President for Firstrust Bank in suburban Philadelphia. An MBA graduate of Temple University, he is a 28-year veteran of commercial banking.

Michael is a dedicated leader in the areas of autism awareness, fundraising, and advocacy.  He co-founded The Magnolia Speech School for children with autism and currently serves on the board of the Timothy School for Autistic Children, and the EASI Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports parents of profoundly autistic children with challenging behaviors.  He helped create the Philadelphia Chapter of Cure Autism Now, was a co-founder of the Golf for Hope, and spearheaded various fundraising events for various autism charities.

Michael’s work in the autism space has evolved through the years from awareness and research, to education, and more recently towards innovative community housing models for autistic adults. He prescribes to a social entrepreneurial approach that fosters cooperation between the private and the public sector. Some of his noteworthy achievements have been chronicled in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, Good Morning America, and the Penn Stater.  Michael has also been a staunch advocate and caretaker for his oldest son, John, who is autistic.

Michael and his wife, Maude, reside in Conshohocken, PA and is the parent of John, Henry, and Annabelle.