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We are #BiggerTogether. This #ThankYourMentorDay, we honor all Bigs, Littles and local leaders across the nation who continue to create safe spaces, support and show-up for each other –being physically distant and socially accessible. But we need more caring, positive adults to #KeepKidsConnected by becoming a mentor and powering our collective recovery in communities nationwide.
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We are excited to share that our board of directors has appointed
Gary Friedman as Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2020. He succeeds Jeri Swinton, who will retire this Friday after serving 31 years as CEO.
Friedman has been in leadership roles in management, fundraising, marketing, sales, and revenue generation his entire career, all with a focus on making a positive impact on young people’s lives. Most recently, he was Chief Advancement Officer at St. Joseph Children’s Home. During his first year, Friedman oversaw record-breaking fundraising for the home’s signature event, St. Joe’s Picnic. He also managed the home’s $23 million capital campaign.
As Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Louisville, Friedman was the lead fundraiser as the department raised more than $300 million over a 10-year span and built new facilities for each of the 21 sports teams. During his time at the university, the departmental budget also tripled in size. Additional roles included General Manager at Learfield Sports and Chief Revenue Officer at Kentucky Venues. On the volunteer side, he presently serves on the Kentucky Derby Festival board and the Team Shaan Foundation board in Louisville.
“I’m very confident Gary will be successful in his new role because he has spent his career focused on the development of young people and has a great passion for our mission,” said Scott R. Godthaab, Board Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. “He also cares deeply about the community, has the right relationships across the state to be the change we need, and will work tirelessly to successfully and effectively lead our organization through a critical time in our city’s history.”
This significant change in leadership comes at a time when Big Brothers Big Sisters has had to develop new ways to match Bigs with Littles and strengthen their one-on-one mentoring relationships. Despite this challenge, “The current circumstances of this pandemic won't cloud my vision for Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Friedman. “I'm committed to building on the great legacy this agency has already established in the community.”
To help match the hundreds of Littles on the waiting list with a Big, Friedman sees new opportunities to share the organization’s story and successes, whether that’s virtual, in person, or both. As more Bigs are recruited and the amount of matches grow, Friedman will look to grow the number of donors to invest in the kids who need mentors.
Keith Inman, President of Kosair Charities, had this to say about our new CEO.
“Gary has an excellent track record of leading and developing his staff,” said Inman. “I’m amazed at the things he has been able to accomplish. On top of that, he’s a great person with an outstanding personality. Gary really identifies with the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I believe he’s an excellent successor for the organization.”
Friedman’s passion for helping kids dates all the way back to his college years at the University of Illinois, where he coached basketball at the local park district league in Champaign and then at the urban high school of Champaign Central. He would always do whatever it took to provide the kids he coached with a belief, hope and encouragement to be at their best. Throughout the decades, Friedman has always lived by his family motto of “planting seeds of service,” which fits well with the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana.
“Knowing Gary, his heart and his background, he is perfectly suited for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO of the Louisville Urban League. “He will put in an around-the-clock effort to ensure that we are all aligned in defending the potential of kids in our community. He has the gravitas to get the right people in the room and the experience to forward the mission of this wonderful organization. We can’t wait to partner with them.”
As someone who has had mentors in the past, Friedman knows firsthand how much of an impact they can have on one’s life. And for disadvantaged youth living in the middle of a pandemic, positive mentoring relationships matter even more. One of the major benefits of these relationships is that they can serve as .a buffer to reduce the effects of trauma in children’s lives.
To learn more about the latest BBBSKY news, find out how to become a Big, or donate, visit our website at www.bbbsky.org.
Gary Friedman as Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2020. He succeeds Jeri Swinton, who will retire this Friday after serving 31 years as CEO.
Friedman has been in leadership roles in management, fundraising, marketing, sales, and revenue generation his entire career, all with a focus on making a positive impact on young people’s lives. Most recently, he was Chief Advancement Officer at St. Joseph Children’s Home. During his first year, Friedman oversaw record-breaking fundraising for the home’s signature event, St. Joe’s Picnic. He also managed the home’s $23 million capital campaign.
As Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Louisville, Friedman was the lead fundraiser as the department raised more than $300 million over a 10-year span and built new facilities for each of the 21 sports teams. During his time at the university, the departmental budget also tripled in size. Additional roles included General Manager at Learfield Sports and Chief Revenue Officer at Kentucky Venues. On the volunteer side, he presently serves on the Kentucky Derby Festival board and the Team Shaan Foundation board in Louisville.
“I’m very confident Gary will be successful in his new role because he has spent his career focused on the development of young people and has a great passion for our mission,” said Scott R. Godthaab, Board Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. “He also cares deeply about the community, has the right relationships across the state to be the change we need, and will work tirelessly to successfully and effectively lead our organization through a critical time in our city’s history.”
This significant change in leadership comes at a time when Big Brothers Big Sisters has had to develop new ways to match Bigs with Littles and strengthen their one-on-one mentoring relationships. Despite this challenge, “The current circumstances of this pandemic won't cloud my vision for Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Friedman. “I'm committed to building on the great legacy this agency has already established in the community.”
To help match the hundreds of Littles on the waiting list with a Big, Friedman sees new opportunities to share the organization’s story and successes, whether that’s virtual, in person, or both. As more Bigs are recruited and the amount of matches grow, Friedman will look to grow the number of donors to invest in the kids who need mentors.
Keith Inman, President of Kosair Charities, had this to say about our new CEO.
“Gary has an excellent track record of leading and developing his staff,” said Inman. “I’m amazed at the things he has been able to accomplish. On top of that, he’s a great person with an outstanding personality. Gary really identifies with the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I believe he’s an excellent successor for the organization.”
Friedman’s passion for helping kids dates all the way back to his college years at the University of Illinois, where he coached basketball at the local park district league in Champaign and then at the urban high school of Champaign Central. He would always do whatever it took to provide the kids he coached with a belief, hope and encouragement to be at their best. Throughout the decades, Friedman has always lived by his family motto of “planting seeds of service,” which fits well with the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana.
“Knowing Gary, his heart and his background, he is perfectly suited for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO of the Louisville Urban League. “He will put in an around-the-clock effort to ensure that we are all aligned in defending the potential of kids in our community. He has the gravitas to get the right people in the room and the experience to forward the mission of this wonderful organization. We can’t wait to partner with them.”
As someone who has had mentors in the past, Friedman knows firsthand how much of an impact they can have on one’s life. And for disadvantaged youth living in the middle of a pandemic, positive mentoring relationships matter even more. One of the major benefits of these relationships is that they can serve as .a buffer to reduce the effects of trauma in children’s lives.
To learn more about the latest BBBSKY news, find out how to become a Big, or donate, visit our website at www.bbbsky.org.
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Tanya's Game Changers
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