Talk about being right on time.
As the New Pittsburgh Courier honors a host of local African American men who are performing formidably in Pittsburgh’s business and non-profit sectors during the “Men of Excellence” Awards Ceremony, Dec. 13, one of the honorees, Fred Brown, just received another huge honor.
Brown, the president and CEO of Homewood Children’s Village, has been appointed president and CEO of The Forbes Funds, an affiliate of The Pittsburgh Foundation. The announcement was made Dec. 12. Brown will take over the top management position on Jan. 8.
In a press release sent to the Courier, Brown, 53, who has been president and CEO of Homewood Children’s Village since 2015, will succeed Kate Dewey, a veteran nonprofit consultant, business owner and corporate executive. She headed the Forbes Funds for the past four years.
The Forbes Funds mission is to provide management assistance and technical expertise to nonprofits, especially those providing human services. Its advocacy arm, the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, represents 450 members in shaping public policy and researching issues that affect their missions. The overall goal of the Forbes Funds is to ensure a thriving nonprofit sector.
“Fred has deep experience in local nonprofit management that the community would expect to have in a Forbes Funds leader, and we see him bringing so much more to this work, including some exciting systems thinking for improving capacity and strengthening the sector,” Forbes Funds Board Chair Scott Lammie said in the press release.
Lammie, who is also senior vice president and chief financial officer of the UPMC Insurance Services Division, headed the eight-member search committee. Brown’s selection concludes a national search that began in August. “We were extremely fortunate to have many superb candidates for this position,” said Lammie. “Fred emerged as the person we believe has the relevant background, experience, and an extraordinary vision to help guide and support our nonprofit sector through this profound and unprecedented period of transformational change, challenge and opportunity.”
In the release, Brown said he’s been a longtime admirer of the Forbes Funds work and wants to continue with responsive and innovative programs. His vision, he said, is for the organization to be the essential resource for the nonprofit sector to deliver life-improving social change. “That’s the goal, but my first few months in the position will be dedicated to learning day-to-day responsibilities and having in-depth conversations with Forbes Funds stakeholders. I want to know how they view the Forbes Funds role, and I want to hear ideas they may have to make the organization even more responsive to the increased challenges we all know that the sector will be facing in the next several years.”
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