San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation Announces New CEO

San Francisco, CA – After an extensive national search, the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties (the Federation) has announced the selection of Danny Grossman as the new Chief Executive Officer.

Danny, a native of San Francisco, is a successful business owner and entrepreneur, and a current member of the Federation’s Board of Directors. He brings decades of experience as a volunteer and leader in the Bay Area’s Jewish and civic communities, and many years of business and public sector leadership.

Addressing the board of directors after the vote to ratify the search committee’s recommendation, Danny commented, “I am thrilled and honored to take the helm of the Federation at this important time. I returned to the Bay Area to pursue my passion for community and for Jewish life locally as well as globally and in Israel, and this opportunity is the realization of that dream. I especially look forward to working with the many wonderful partners in this community, the professional staff, and the lay leaders and volunteers who are so vital to our efforts.”

Tom Kasten, chair of the Federation’s Board of Directors, issued the following statement:

“On behalf of the Federation’s lay leadership and professional staff, I want to say how thrilled I am to welcome Danny Grossman into the role of CEO. Following a comprehensive search across the United States, Danny has proven to be a formidable candidate whom we believe to be best equipped to lead the Federation with excellence, and to continue its crucial legacy as we meet the changing needs of our Jewish community and of the philanthropic sector.

“The board sought a candidate with a compelling vision for the future of how our Federation can have an impact on the growth of our Jewish community and the ability to bring together resources and experts to address critical community challenges and opportunities. We are confident that we have found that in Danny.

“Danny is widely respected by his colleagues as a consummate leader and thinker, with an impressive and wide-ranging career – as a Jewish communal leader, as a visionary in business, as a diplomat in the literal and figurative sense of the word, and as a team player with a clear head and the ability to find consensus within complicated issues.

“I look forward to working in partnership with Danny in his new role as we ensure a smooth transition and chart a bold new path for the Federation. These are truly exciting times for our beloved Jewish community.

“I want to thank Jim Heeger and Jim Koshland, co-chairs of the Search Committee, who devoted countless hours and provided outstanding leadership to our Search Committee, and to thank the full Committee for their tireless work to help secure this very positive outcome. I also want to thank Jim Offel for his 13 months of service to our Federation and Jewish community as the interim CEO. Jim has demonstrated exceptional leadership as we engaged in a truly thorough CEO search, and his contributions over the year have been critical to our continued success.”

More about Danny Grossman

Danny, 57, is currently the CEO of SLOW Food for Fast Lives, and was previously CEO and founder of Wild Planet Entertainment. He also served for seven years in the U.S. Foreign Service, as a diplomat overseas and at the Department of State. Prior to that, Danny spearheaded a national grassroots marketing campaign for Ground Zero, a nonprofit organization, and served as a legislative aide to Congressman James Coyne in Washington, D.C.  

Danny has served as board chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Brandeis Hillel Day School, Joshua Venture, Stand for Children, Rosenberg Foundation, Toy Industry Association, Children's Television Resource and Education Center, and Toy Industry Foundation; as a trustee at the Stanford University Center on Ethics; and, as a board member of the Business Advisory Council for the San Francisco Unified School District, Friends for Youth, Students for Responsible Business, Social Venture Network, Human Rights Commission of San Francisco, and the Private Industry Council of San Francisco.

Danny holds an M.B.A. from Stanford University and received his B.A. in Russian and East European Studies from Yale University. He is married to Linda Gerard, with whom he has two sons, Noah and Jonah.

The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund connects people of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives to the power of the Jewish community to improve the world. We partner with donors, organizations, and foundations to address pressing issues facing our community, and develop innovative strategies that result in deep and lasting impact locally, in Israel, and around the world. Learn more at www.jewishfed.org.