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Published: June 28 2013

Thomas D'Eri COO PARKLAND, FL – As Rising Tide Car Wash makes strides in redefining what it means to employ individuals with special needs, the company is also setting an example for being a true family enterprise.

Thomas D'Eri has been named Chief Operating Officer of Rising Tide Car Wash. Son of CEO and Founder John D'Eri, and brother of Andrew, the inspiration for the company's innovative concept, D'Eri is a strong advocate of the movement to capture the untapped resource that is people with autism. Having seen the struggles that his brother, Andrew, a vibrant individual with autism, faced in finding a job, D'Eri knew that there must be a way to help. He enthusiastically decided to work with his father to make Rising Tide Car Wash, a groundbreaking social enterprise and high-quality car wash experience, a reality.

A graduate of Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. with summa cum laude honors in Economics/Finance and a concentration in Earth, Environment, and Global Sustainability, D'Eri is leveraging his love for the environment into a more holistic view of sustainability. Throughout his college career, he actively engaged with organizations to help them become more sustainable and socially conscious. These experiences helped him gain a strong skill set in research, analysis, business planning and collaboration.

D'Eri has worked in various positions in the sustainability field for companies such as Enterasys Secure Networks in North Andover, Mass. (Sustainability Advisor), Strategic Sustainability Consulting in Washington, D.C. (Research Intern, Assistant Consultant), Fitzgerald Elementary School in Waltham, Mass. (Sustainability Consultant), Sodexo/Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. (Sustainability Intern), and Waltham Fields Community Farms in Waltham, Mass. (Project Manager).

In 2011, along with his father, he founded CanDo Business Ventures (www.candobiz.com), a company dedicated to designing, testing and deploying businesses that can provide sustainable employment for adults.

"I'm very passionate about sustainability, not only in terms of the environment, but also in the potential for long-term social well-being for all individuals, including those with autism," said D'Eri. "I feel that by founding Rising Tide Car Wash, I and my dad are taking a major step in changing public perception of the capabilities that people with autism have."

A resident of Fort Lauderdale, he currently serves on the board of the RACI Project, a volunteer-run citizen organization specializing in cross-cultural solutions for sustainable livelihoods development; and is a StartingBloc Fellow among other young leaders aged 18-30 from all sectors who believe that economic value creation and social value creation are complementary. While in college, he performed extensive service with the Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism.

Opened in April 2013 at 7201 N. State Rd. 7, Rising Tide Car Wash is a supportive environment where individuals with autism can thrive and achieve independence. Currently, unemployment among people with autism is approximately 90 percent. At least 500,000 more individuals with autism will enter the workforce from 2013 to 2023.

About Rising Tide Car Wash
Rising Tide Car Wash is a scalable social enterprise with the primary mission to employ adults with autism. By delivering a first-rate car wash experience to the consumer, Rising Tide strives to inspire communities to change their perception of the capabilities of people with autism. Through intensive training, team building and caring for the community, Rising Tide sets its employees up for success. With this model, Rising Tide has a goal to provide people with autism with an opportunity to build a career and achieve an independent lifestyle. Rising Tide aims to be Broward County's first B Corporation (the gold standard in verifying that a company is truly a social enterprise) and the fourth in the state of Florida. Rising Tide Car Wash is located at 7201 N. State Rd 7, Parkland, FL 33067. It is open seven days a week from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. For more information, please visit www.risingtidecarwash.com, call (954) 344-1855 or email info@risingtidecarwash.com.