The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Eight Staff Members to Team

Foundation is now fully staffed with 17 employees to carry out mission

Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (March 10, 2017) – Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (March 10, 2017) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today announced that with the addition of eight staff members, all 17 available positions have been filled. The new hires include three program officers: Kimberly Faison, Susan Dundon and Malia Xie; a communications officer: Carly Strachan; a research associate: Avery Eenigenburg; and three administrative assistants: Ebony Annette Jones, Amy Partridge and Donna Salive. (more…)

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Senior Advisor to Staff

James Jacobs, Ph.D., brings more than 50 years of experience to the Foundation

Detroit, MI/Buffalo, NY (Feb. 24, 2017) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today announced the addition of James Jacobs, Ph.D. as a senior advisor to the president & CEO. Jacobs comes to the Foundation from the nationally acclaimed Macomb Community College, where he has spent 50 years of his career, serving as president since 2008.

“Jim’s impressive experience and understanding of workforce development will serve as an excellent resource for our staff, and help to inform future investments the Foundation will make in that sector,” said David O. Egner, president and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Additionally, Jim brings a strong connectivity to employers and organized labor throughout the region. He’s a recognized economist who understands the future of the workforce, and we’re fortunate to have him join the team as a senior advisor.”

In this new part-time role, Jacobs will advise on strategic decisions and investments the Foundation looks to make in its “Young Adults and Working Class Families” focus area. This includes finding opportunities and programs that provide skills training and education that can lead to pathways to good paying jobs and increased independence in both Southeast Michigan and Western New York.

“Jim’s passion for workforce development will be an asset to the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation.”  said Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel.  “A well trained and well educated workforce is critical to the economic future of our region and Jim’s unique expertise will be helpful in assuring that need is filled.” 

Prior to his appointment as president of Macomb Community College in Warren, MI, Jacobs served as director for the Center for Workforce Development and Policy and as associate director of the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Jacobs also spent time serving as president of the National Council for Workforce Education. He earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University and has since specialized in the areas of workforce skills and technology, economic development, worker retraining and community college workforce development.

“Jim’s career at Macomb Community College has been characterized by a dedication to accessible, relevant education and its connection to sustainable careers and economic vitality,” said Jennifer Haase, chair, Macomb Community College Board of Trustees. “We’re happy that Jim, even in retirement, will continue to lend his unparalleled expertise in growing our region’s workforce development capacity.”

Jacobs will formally join the team at the Foundation following his retirement from Macomb Community College this July.

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grant making organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation which bears his name. The Foundation has a grant making capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires December 31, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. 

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Two Staff Members to Executive Team

Full executive team now in place to help carry out the vision of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.

Detroit, M.I./Buffalo, N.Y. (July 13, 2016) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today announced two additions to the organization’s executive management team. The new appointments include Buffalo resident Nicole Tzetzo to the role of Vice President, Finance and Administration and Lavea Brachman to the position of Vice President of Programs.

“Nicole and Lavea are excellent additions to our executive team of high-level, seasoned professionals,” said David O. Egner, President and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Each member of our executive team brings their own area of expertise which will elevate the organization to the next level as we ramp up operations and begin to carry out the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York.”

In her role as Vice President, Finance and Administration, Nicole Tzetzo will help oversee finance, operations, investment and compliance for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. Tzetzo’s vast experience with non-profits in the Western New York market will serve as a valuable resource for the Foundation as the team works to identify projects within its core funding areas.

Most recently, Tzetzo served as a partner at Bond Schoeneck & King, PLLC in Buffalo where she specialized in counseling clients in the non-for-profit sector. She currently serves on the board of trustees for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Tzetzo obtained her bachelor’s degree from Xavier University and a Juris Doctor degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America.

As Vice President of Programs, Lavea Brachman will be responsible for developing and implementing grantmaking strategies, collaborating with other funders, building and maintaining grantee relationships, as well as proposal analysis and evaluation. As a nationally recognized expert on urban policy and practice, with a focus on older

industrial cities, Brachman’s knowledge will help guide the Foundation’s efforts in a variety of focus areas including healthy community design and access, and working class families.

Brachman brings more than 20 years of experience in organizational development, management, policy reform and fundraising. In her most recent endeavor, Brachman co-founded the Greater Ohio Policy Center in Columbus, Ohio. The organization advocates for urban revitalization and sustainable growth strategies through research, policy development and community engagement. Brachman received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

With the hiring of Tzetzo and Brachman, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s executive team is now in place and strategically working to understand the complexity of the issues within its core funding areas and identify opportunities to affect meaningful change in the communities they serve.