TSNE today announced that the nonprofit organization’s long-time Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Spack, is retiring at the end of 2016, starting a leadership transition process over the next six months. Jonathan’s decision to retire will bring to a close a remarkable career of 34 years of service to TSNE.
“The local and national nonprofit field has benefitted from Jonathan’s expertise and collegial generosity. The TSNE staff, board and our many partners feel privileged to have worked with Jonathan and are enormously grateful to him for his many contributions,” says Tammy Dowley-Blackman, TSNE Board President.
“It has been my great honor and privilege to serve as the leader of TSNE for more than 30 years. I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact we’ve had, working with thousands of outstanding people, groups, and networks to advance the cause of social justice. TSNE in 2016 represents the collective efforts of a dedicated board of directors, a remarkably talented staff and innovative partners and constituents who have inspired us to think creatively and explore new directions. I could not be more excited about what’s next for this remarkable organization,” says Jonathan Spack, CEO, TSNE.
The board of directors will oversee the process to choose Jonathan’s successor and has hired the Management Assistance Group (MAG) to assist with the transition. The MAG team will support TSNE’s Transition Committee in developing the CEO job description, will conduct an organizational assessment, meet with external stakeholders and help the board develop the next step plan, including the hiring of the executive firm to conduct the national CEO search.
“Jonathan announced his decision to retire to the Board of Directors in January, giving us plenty of time to prepare the organization for his departure,” says Ms. Dowley-Blackman. “We are thrilled to be working with MAG and with a joint board and staff committee to lead the transition process.”
During Jonathan’s tenure at TSNE, he has guided the organization through several reinventions, including in the late 1990s its focus on becoming a leading national capacity-builder. TSNE is the nation’s most experienced fiscal sponsor, and also provides executive transition services, consulting, leadership programs, training, and innovative grantmaking. He also oversaw the development of The Nonprofit Quarterly — which spun off from TSNE in 2006 — from a modest regional publication into a key component of the national nonprofit infrastructure. Perhaps the most tangible part of Jonathan’s legacy is the development of the NonProfit Center, a historic 110,000 sq. ft., office building in downtown Boston, which was purchased in 2004, and is now home to 43 Boston-based nonprofit organizations. He leaves the organization in solid financial standing with systems the board and staff can continue to use to grow its many programs.
Jonathan Spack is also co-author of the Executive Director’s Guide (2002), a contributor to Cases in Innovative Nonprofits (2015) and is a co-founder and long-time board member of the Nonprofit Centers Network, the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors, and the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network.