NEW YORK, NY, December, 2015 – Amy Holmes, Chairperson of the Support Center/Partnership in Philanthropy (Support Center) Board of Directors today announced leadership changes to take place in 2016. These changes are part of a planned leadership succession designed to position the Support Center for continued growth and success. Don Crocker, the Support Center’s current Executive Director/CEO will step down from his position to create this “next generation” leadership opportunity, but will continue to assist the Support Center on a part-time basis in a Senior Fellow role. Keith Timko, current Associate Executive Director, will become the new Executive Director/CEO and Carolyn Champ, Director of Strategic Partnerships, will step into the Associate Executive Director role. These changes will occur on January 1, 2016.
Crocker took the helm at the Support Center in 1998, shortly after the Support Center secured its independence from the (then) Support Centers of America and brought it to prominence in the Greater Tri-State (NY/NJ/CT) region. Timko joined the Support Center in January of 2014, partnering closely with the Board and Mr. Crocker to further expand the Support Center’s reach and depth of offerings.
“Crocker has been a transformative leader for the Support Center, spearheading our efforts to align ourselves with the needs of the sector and establish best practices in management assistance for the nonprofit and philanthropic sector” said Holmes. “Don brought a unique combination of deep industry experience, strategic vision, and an incredible drive with everything he took on at the organization. While we understand his desire to take steps toward his retirement and will miss his engagement as Executive Director, I am very pleased that he has agreed to stay on as a Senior Fellow for the organization.”
Under Don’s leadership, the Support Center gained prominence as a partner to grantmakers seeking to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of their nonprofit grantees. In 2003 Crocker launched the Support Center’s Executive Search and Transition Management efforts which help nonprofits navigate leadership transitions and trains and places Interim Executive Directors to help stabilize organizations as they go through top-level transitions. More recently, he expanded the Support Center’s work in organizational realignment, assisting nonprofit organizations in their efforts to explore strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and mergers.
Timko, in his role of Associate Executive Director of the Support Center, has had development and oversight responsibility of the Center’s consulting, executive transition and professional development work and has successfully grown new models of capacity building for the Support Center. Prior to his current role with the Support Center, Timko held positions as Director and CEO of Build With Purpose in New Jersey where he helped build strong, vibrant and healthy communities by providing real estate services to organizations and communities that lack in-house capacity. Prior to Build With Purpose, Timko held positions at Living Cities: The National Community Development Initiative as Senior Program Manager and served as President of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management).
“I am very excited to announce that Keith will become Executive Director at the Support Center, ensuring a smooth transition and a continuation of great leadership,” said John Emmert, Vice Chair of the Support Center. “Keith has an incredible track record of success at numerous organizations and in a variety of leadership positions, and has been an effective member of the senior leadership team at the Support Center for the past two years. He brings a deep understanding of the Support Center’s operations and the ability to drive both high-quality programs and an understanding of the critical role that the Support Center can play with its nonprofit partners. I am confident that Keith will build on all of our recent success and continue to elevate the performance the Support Center in the months and years ahead.”
Ms. Champ, assuming the role of Associate Executive Director, will manage the Support Center’s one-on-one consulting work and continue to develop the organization’s “community of practice” model for working with organizations. Champ has spent most of her career working on behalf of the social sector. Prior to joining the Support Center, she developed and directed programs focused on education, leadership development and sustainability at the Philip Evans Scholarship Foundation, a division of The Kohlberg Foundation in Mount Kisco, NY. Earlier Carolyn was instrumental in launching and running the Social Enterprise Program at Columbia Business School to educate MBA students and professionals in nonprofit management, social entrepreneurship and corporate citizenship. She began her career as a research assistant and administrator at Metis Associates, Inc., a national consulting firm based in NYC, where she evaluated education programs in NYC schools and managed the firm’s operations.