AROUND THE CENTER
Winners of Nonprofit Awards to be Honored at June Luncheon
The Mandel Center will honor Steven Raichilson, Executive Director of Menorah Park Center for Senior Living, and Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) with its annual Leadership in Nonprofit Management Award and Organization Innovation Award, respectively. The awards will be presented during the Mandel Center's annual Nonprofit Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, June 6, at Windows on the River.
"The Mandel Center is delighted to recognize and honor outstanding leadership and innovation in the nonprofit sector. Steve Raichilson and Entrepreneurs for Sustainability are true exemplars of the high standards the Center seeks to promote and advance," said Susan Eagan, Executive Director of the Mandel Center.
David T. Abbott, Chair of the awards selection committee and Executive Director of The George Gund Foundation noted, "Our selection committee, composed of twenty-two executive directors and chief executive officers from the local nonprofit sector, was very impressed with the high caliber of nominations that were submitted for both awards. We see this year's recipients as continuing our region's tradition of exceptional vision, creativity, and innovation in nonprofit leadership and management."
Raichilson will receive the 2007 Leadership in Nonprofit Management Award, which is given to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional vision and leadership excellence in an organization over a sustained period of time. He has served as Menorah Park's Executive Director for over 20 years.
"I am very honored to be chosen for this special award from such a prestigious group of nominations," said Raichilson. "Today nonprofit management is more challenging than ever before, with unique stresses and business concerns not experienced in the for-profit management sector."
He attributes the success of his organization to such special resources as its volunteer support; "a compassionate, mission-driven staff;" and donor funding.
E4S, a diverse network of more than 3,800 leaders who practice the principles of sustainability, will be the third organization to receive the Organization Innovation Award, which the Mandel Center established last year to honor innovative nonprofit organizations that tackle complex social issues and problems through collaborative efforts.
The organization will be recognized for it activities driven by the motto "Connect People, Planet and Prosperity" and its mission to "create a sustainable economy in Northeast Ohio."
"When a small group of entrepreneurial leaders start a nonprofit based on their passion for business, sustainability and our region, and nearly 4,000 people are attracted to this mission, you know there is something special happening," said Holly Harlan, Founder and President of E4S.
She added that the award is a confirmation "that the way we are serving our mission meets the expectations of those most experienced with nonprofit management."
The speaker at this year's Nonprofit Awards Luncheon will be Rip Rapson, President of The Kresge Foundation. Rip Rapson joined The Kresge Foundation as its President and CEO on July 1, 2006. Kresge is one of the nation's largest private foundations, with approximately $3.3 billion of assets. Prior to joining Kresge, Rapson was the President of the McKnight Foundation in Minneapolis, a $2 billion foundation governed by the descendents of William McKnight, who was the driving force behind the growth of the 3M Corporation.
If you would like more information about the Mandel Center's Nonprofit Awards Luncheon, please visit our website or contact Bianca Walters at 216.368.1687.
