03/11/2021
Jewish Federation of Cleveland Announces Succession Plan for Chief Financial Officer
- Share This Story
CFO Reis decides to step down and become Special Advisor to the President, effective July 2022
The Jewish Federation of Cleveland today announced a succession plan for its chief financial officer position. Barry Reis, who has held this position since 1991, has decided to step down from this role and become a Special Advisor to the President, effective July 1, 2022.
“It is an honor to work on behalf of Jewish Cleveland and the Jewish people as the CFO of the Cleveland Federation and, therefore, this was not an easy decision for me to make,” said Reis. “I look forward to working closely with my successor to ensure a seamless transition, while I continue to serve our community here and abroad in any way I can in my new role.”
Reis (61) joined the Federation in 1984 as an accounting supervisor within the Finance department. In 1991, he was named chief financial officer of Federation. Prior to joining Federation, he worked for the international accounting firm Arthur Andersen from 1982 to 1984. Reis graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Accounting and earned his MBA in Finance from Cleveland State University. He and his wife live in Shaker Heights and have four grown children.
“Over the years, Barry has served the community with great humility and provided leadership to the organization with responsibilities that far exceed those typical for a chief financial officer,” said Federation President Erika B. Rudin-Luria. “His perspective and insight are invaluable to me and our leadership. His unwavering commitment to the highest standards of business integrity, as well as his compassion for those in need, have made him a role model for his colleagues and an inspiration for our volunteer leadership. We are all thrilled he will remain deeply involved in the Federation’s work in this new role.”
According to J. David Heller, chair of Federation’s Board of Trustees, the organization will form a special committee to oversee the search process for Reis’ succession. “On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I want to thank Barry for sharing his decision well in advance so a deliberate and thoughtful search process can be done for his successor in the finance department,” said Heller. “He is a ‘pro’s pro’ and an invaluable member of the Federation team and the Cleveland Jewish community. I truly appreciate his willingness to continue to stay immersed in the Federation’s mission-critical work.”
