ALSAC CEO Richard Shadyac exit interview: Legacy, future of org during 'critical time'
When Richard Shadyac Jr. became the sixth president and CEO of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC), the world was a very different place.
The economy was in the throes of the Great Recession in June 2009 when Shadyac stepped into the role of CEO of the fundraising and awareness organization of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As the economic crisis worsened, St. Jude had to consider cutting entire programs.
Shadyac instead chose to rethink and relaunch how his organization approached fundraising.
How did it go?
For the fiscal year ending June 2009, ALSAC raised $660 million. For its fiscal year ending June 2023, the organization raised more than three times that amount: $2.4 billion.
Friday, Feb. 28, is his last working day after nearly 16 years leading ALSAC. He officially ends his tenure March 1.
ALSAC has had 60 consecutive quarters of growth. The organization has more than 1,500 staffers who spearhead more than 30,000 annual fundraising activities.