Marcia Lipetz honored by AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps - June 2, 2010Marcia_AVODAH

Marcia J. Lipetz, ESC President & CEO, was honored as a Partner in Justice, in recognition of her accomplishments and efforts as a Jewish social justice leader, by AVODAH on June 2, 2010 in Chicago. Pictured are Marcia, and Corps member Eva Lerner, at the event. AVODAH's mission is to strengthen the Jewish community's fight against the causes and effects of poverty in the United States. They do this by engaging participants in service and community building that inspires them to become lifelong agents for social change whose work for justice is rooted in and norished by Jewish values. Congratulations Marcia!

 

Announcing New Dates for Passing the Torch - August 10-11, 2010Torch Logo

Are you a nonprofit Founder or long-time Executive Director thinking of moving on to your next challenge or considering retirement in the next 1-5 years?

Passing the Torch is an intensive two-day workshop tailored to guide established nonprofit executives in exploring the complex organizational, professional and personal issues related to succession planning and transition, addressing your unique needs and concerns as you plan for your eventual transition.

With sell-out crowds filling both of the two initial sessions since its launch last year and the rave reviews of the participants, Passing the Torch offers a uniquely useful, personal and outcome driven setting in which they can truly plan and build for the best. This engaging workshop is a confidential and safe place to ask difficult questions, learn from those who have mastered the process, and take real steps in preparing for your personal and organizational journey.

The workshop covers:

  • Practical lessons and best practices gained from successful examples around the country
  • An overview of succession and transition planning processes and review of key issues, particularly in light of the current economic situation
  • Focused sessions to tailor both organizational succession and personal plans to each participants' individual needs and the realities of your respective organization
  • A proactive approach for enhancing organizational capacity and sustainability between now and the anticipated departure

    ...and much more!

Feedback from Past Participants:

"A good opportunity for self-reflection, interaction with other Executive Directors in my same position and well-researched transition exploration activities with materials for 'take away'. My options are clearer now and I am more confident about formulating choices out of those options"

"I appreciate the opportunity to have a small group discussions with the different workshop trainers, facilitators and participants. The comfort and safety of the group was an asset."

 

Passing the Torch will next be offered August 10-11 (8:45 AM - 4:30 PM). Download the registration form or contact Nancy Fuhrman for more information.

 

New Member Orientation - August 25, 2010

Are you interested in joining ESC's volunteer consultant corps? The next orientation session for new ESC volunteers will take place in August; dates to follow are TBA. If you are interested in volunteering, read about our volunteer program and contact us.

 

ESC Consultants Care

Each spring, Lake County Cares, the premier volunteer service hub of Lake County, recognizes leaders in Lake County who have made volunteering part of their everyday lives with the 'i Care Award'. Among this year's awardees is ESC Consultant and Project Manager, Bill Loving. For 17 years, Bill has been an invaluable asset to ESC and our client organizations serving on over 20 client projects as well as a member of the faculty of ESC's award-winning professional development program. Coming to ESC with a consulting background and deep experience in the healthcare field, Bill has been unparalleled in his commitment to producing results for ESC's client organizations and has become an invaluable asset to ESC's healthcare sector clients. Commenting on his work with ESC and various other volunteering activities, including with the Boy Scouts of America and the Red Cross, Bill says, "I've always had that [volunteer] attitude. I don't remember not having it. I've always been taught that you have to give back; it seems like a trite saying, but it's true." ESC is privileged to have Bill Loving as a member of our organization and congratulates him and his fellow awardees for their outstanding dedication.

 

So You Want to be an Executive Director?

In 2009 YNPN Chicago and ESC launched The Leadership Institute, a collection of programs to help ensure the future leadership and vitality of the Chicago region's nonprofit and public service sector. The pilot program of The Institute "So You Want to be an Executive Director?" guided fourteen participants through day-to-day life of being at the top, helped them plan their own career trajectories, and provided opportunities for them to learn from the mistakes and successes of current and past Executive Directors from various Chicago organizations. The program's first eight month session closed in February 2010 to rave reviews from the participants.

"My peers are very impressive!" wrote one participant siting the program's format of roundtables focused on group exploration and discussion as key to the program's success. Marcia Lipetz, ESC President & CEO, and Bob Houston, ESC Consultant & Coach, guided the group of participants through identifying and prioritizing the skills and knowledge they would like to develop to become successful nonprofit leaders. "The roundtables really enforced a solid work plan for becoming a new Executive Director. I feel that I will be able to step into an Executive Director role strategically, while before I wouldn't have known where to start," commented one participant.

Coupling the roundtable experience with one-on-one coaching, participants were provided an individual sounding board for knowledge gained in the roundtables as well as an opportunity to strategically improve their work performance. One participant reflected, "The coaching sessions served as a great time to reflect on my personal goals for professional growth. My coach helped me focus on next steps while also training myself not to 'bite off more than I can chew'."

In May, YNPN and ESC will welcome a new class of 16 Executive Director hopefuls selected via a competitive process. Applications for the 2011 class will be accepted early next year. For more information, contact us, or visit www.ynpnchicago.org.

 

Welcome to ESC!

ESC welcomes Robert Greenebaum, Jr., Naaman Landers, Joseph M. Ross and Jill Wine-Banks to our Board of Directors. Each of them brings great expertise and experiences to their service with ESC:

Bob Greenebaum is Executive Vice President and National Casualty Practice Group leader at Swett & Crawford. He was a founding member of Steppenwolf Theater and remains an active supporter, serving on its board of directors. In joining the ESC board, Bob carries on a family tradition as his late father, Robert Greenebaum, Sr., a longtime Inland Steel executive, was a founding member of ESC and served on the ESC board for over 25 years.

 

Naaman Landers joined ESC as a volunteer consultant in 1999 after retiring as Manager of Business & Financial Services for the Information Technology Department of Amoco Corporation. In addition to his career at Amoco, Naaman has long been very active in the community in a variety of roles, such as serving as a mentor to young African American men at the Abraham Lincoln Center and leading a Junior Achievement project at Marshall High School on Chicago’s West Side. He formerly served on the board of trustees of La Rabida Children’s Hospital and currently is a member of the board of directors at El Valor. Since joining ESC, Naaman has served on over 20 projects with 14 client agencies, primarily serving on Board Development projects and he is currently part of ESC’s Urgent Action Team service.

Joe Ross joined ESC as a volunteer consultant in 2007 after forty-nine years in the manufacturing sector across the Midwest. Joe’s career experience includes expertise in engineering, information technology, manufacturing management and marketing. He retired in 2006 as President of Hendrickson International after over 25 years of senior leadership positions. At ESC, Joe has served on more than 10 client projects and is a leader of ESC’s new, national award-winning Interim Executive Director service.

 

Jill Wine-Banks comes to ESC with leadership experience ranging from the law to the corporate sector and public education. Among the positions she are; prosecuting Attorney for the US Department of Justice (including service at the Watergate trial), General Counsel of the US Army, Partner at Jenner & Block, Solicitor General & Deputy Attorney General for the State of Illinois, Executive Vice President & COO of the American Bar Association, various management positions at Motorola, Maytag, CEO at Winning Workplaces and Chief Officer of the Office of Education-to-Careers at the Chicago Public Schools. Currently Jill is a management consultant with F & H Solutions Group. Among her community activities, she currently serves on the board of trustees at Roosevelt University, the board of directors of Project Lead the Way and the Advisory Board of UIC Center for Economic Education, and is a member of the Chicago Network.

 

ESC Wins Encore Opportunity Award

Civic Ventures and MetLife Foundation have awarded one of eight Encore Opportunity Awards to ESC. The awards honor organizations that are making it easier for experienced workers to transition into "encore careers" - paid jobs that offer meaning and a chance to make a social impact. ESC was recognized for its innovative Interim Executive Director service which places highly experienced former nonprofit Executive Directors as interim leaders in organizations undergoing a leadership transition. Click here to read more.

 

A Celebrated Reunion - November 12, 2009

The room was full with over 300 volunteers, clients, funders and guests at ESC's Reunion, the 2009 Celebration of Service. Tim Samuelson's comments about the importance in Chicago's history of those willing to help their follow Chicagoans were fitting as ESC honored seven of its volunteer members for their exceptional commitments to ESC and our nonprofit and public agency clients. For more information and pictures from the event, click here.

 

 

For an archive of ESC press releases and media coverage, please visit our Publications & Media Coverage page.