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03/28/2019 12:01 AMMiddlesex County has a long history of dedicated leaders working together to better serve the needs of our local community. We all know them—women and men who shape our schools, businesses, libraries, and nonprofits by sharing their passion and commitment to making a real difference today and in the future. We at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) are fortunate to work with many of these community leaders, and are truly inspired by their talent and collaborative spirit.
We’re always excited by new ideas and initiatives that will make a positive impact, particularly through our Nonprofit Resource Center, which offers opportunities for professional development and resources beyond the grant. Michele Rulnick of the YMCA of Northern Middlesex County and Dan Osborne of Gilead Community Services had an idea to create a network for chief executive officers in the nonprofit service sector. They brought the idea to our attention and, through the CFMC Nonprofit Resource Center, the CEO Network was established. This network is designed to support partnerships, professional development, and provide a forum where leaders can discuss what’s on their mind and how they can collaborate to fulfill their respective missions and make our region even better.
Participating CEO Network organizations are nonprofits with a board of directors and a paid staff. The head of the organization is the participant. In addition to Rulnick and Osborne, there are 10 other members: Sarah Bird, Middlesex Habitat for Humanity; Ethel Higgins, St. Vincent DePaul Middletown; Beth Fisher, Kuhn Employment Opportunities; Linda Iovanna, MARC Community Resources; Helen Bosch, Vista Life Innovations; Alison Cunningham, Columbus House; Chris Pallatto, Valley Shore YMCA; Dic Wheeler, Oddfellows Playhouse; Eric Dillner, Shoreline Arts Alliance; and Brett Elliott, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Each is the head of an organization that is doing extraordinary work to serve a broad range of people and towns, and provide a wide variety of resources for improved access to food, housing, life skills training, health and fitness programs, arts and culture, and more.
The CEO Network leaders share best practices and information, and discuss challenges and opportunities facing the nonprofit industry in general and in Middlesex County. The network provides a collaborative environment for sharing thoughts on how to best achieve organizational missions, goals, and objectives, as well as an avenue to share information about community initiatives and other projects. CFMC Board of Directors member and CFMC Nonprofit Resource Center consultant Tom Gezo serves as the meeting facilitator. This pilot initiative has set the stage for more ideas in the future of ways we can work together to benefit our community and our fellow nonprofits. We are also pleased that our fellow funders, Middlesex United Way and Liberty Bank Foundation, have expressed their support.
We salute all members of the CEO Network for their initiative and dedication to supporting our community in partnership with others. Thanks to their leadership and that of so many others throughout Middlesex County, we can look forward to an improved quality of life for all. To learn more, call CFMC at 860-347-0025 or visit MiddlesexCountyCF.org.