Alan Brand
Alan Brand – lives openly with his HIV status and is dedicated to making a difference by breaking the silence and changing the mindset of those he comes into contact with.
Alan has worked in catering operations for the past 23 years. He joined The Fedics Group HIV/ AIDS Committee in 1997 and was elected Chairperson in 1998. He received the Group Managing Directors Special Recommendation Award for his work as Chairperson on The Fedics Group HIV/ AIDS Committee in 2000.
He was appointed, Group National HIV/AIDS Manager for the Fedics Group (Now called Tsebo Outsourcing Group) in 2001. Alan is also a member of the NACE HR Forum (National Association of Catering Executives) as HIV/AIDS consultant and a member of the newly established HIV/AIDS Forum of the Hospitality Industry.
Alan Brand was appointed as the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Representative on the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) in July 2003.
Alan’s role as Group National HIV/AIDS Manager has resulted in him becoming a key player in the fight against HIV/AIDS within the Hospitality Industry, throughout the country as well as in neighbouring countries.
He has also Project managed the groundbreaking approach to the treatment of HIV/AIDS through the introduction of a focus on nutritionally enhanced food products in the workplace to enhance immune systems and thereby have a positive impact on general wellness.
Alan Brand says, “Most organisations in South Africa have some form of in-house HIV management programme however few have considered the benefit of directly addressing the nutritional intake of employees infected with HIV. We want to place the focus on living with HIV, not dying of AIDS. While good nutrition won’t cure HIV/AIDS, it most certainly can help maintain and improve health. It will also assist in generally boosting the immune levels of all employees thus having a direct and measurable impact on bottom line productivity.”
Alan’s writes monthly articles for the “Informer” newspaper, which have been an inspiration to many people. He has recently been selected to publish his diary entries on the Metropolitan website www.RedRibbon.co.za diary project.
Alan’s book Positively Alive will be available in November 2005:
As a successful, respected and widely accomplished businessman, the last thing Alan Brand expected was to be diagnosed as HIV positive. Positively Alive chronicles Alan’s tremendous journey with HIV through vivid and personal journals where his revitalized holistic approach to health became so successful that when he finally divulged his status he had trouble convincing people that he was in fact HIV positive. Breaking the silence about his status helped Alan to turn his HIV status into a positive force in transforming his life and the lives of others.
In writing, Positively Alive, Alan has revealed an intimate and compelling personal account of life with HIV. He shares practical and emotional steps that have helped him live positively with HIV in a rousing account that is both readable and remarkable and gives advice to those who are HIV positive and to their family, friends and caregivers on how to live positively and productively with HIV.
Alan has been featured in many publications and newspapers amongst others:
• You and Huisgenoot Magazines
• Business Day
• South African AIDS Journal
• The Sowetan
• The Star
• Beeld
Radio interviews that have been conducted with Alan include 702 and Cape Talk, Kaya FM, East Coast Radio and other community based radio stations.
Just some of his speaking engagements have included:
• Queenshaven (2001) – Guest Speaker – The Challenge of HIV/AIDS: Responding with your heart.
• South African – Netherlands Chamber of Commerce – Guest Speaker – HIV/AIDS Seminar (2001)
• National Association of Catering Executives; HR Forum – Presented a paper on Managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace – a Hospitality Industry perspective.
• 2001 – Daimler Chrysler Management – Managing HIV/AIDS in the Workplace
• 2001 – The Postal Regulator – The Challenge of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace: Why you need a committee dedicated to HIV/AIDS.
• 2002 – The Postal Regulator – Living and responding to HIV/AIDS – Basic Awareness
• 2001/2 Institute for International Research – Conference on Corporate Strategic Response to HIV/AIDS – Presented a paper on ” Identifying management misconceptions regarding who is affected by HIV/AIDS to ensure that your company understands the concepts and problems associated with this disease and can therefore eliminate misunderstandings and problems before they arise by educating management accordingly”
• 2003: HIV/AIDS conference facilitator: Ministry of Basic Education – Namibia.
• 2004: Conference Chairman – IIR Strategic response to HIV + AIDS
• 2004: Mondi Business Paper – World AIDS Day Positive speaker
• 2004: American Embassy – “Living with HIV not dying from AIDS”