Eric Weinheimer, 49, takes the helm as President and CEO of Donors Forum on July 1. He succeeds Valerie S. Lies, who retired on June 30 after 27 years in that position.

Eric's selection as the new head of Donors Forum came in March. He comes to Donors Forum from The Cara Program, where since 1996 he served as President and CEO. The Cara Program is a nationally recognized, Chicago-based nonprofit that provides training, job placement, and support services to adults in Chicago struggling with poverty.

Eric is only the third President and CEO of Donors Forum, the Illinois state membership association of grantmakers, nonprofits, and their advisors.  Eric is also the first nonprofit practitioner to lead Donors Forum in its 40-year history, particularly noteworthy in light of the organization's long-range goals.

"Now that Eric is on board, we look forward to working with him to build on the strong platform that is already in place," said Donald A. Cooke, Donors Forum Board Chair and Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. "Eric has the energy, skills, and vision to take Donors Forum to the next level and build an active and engaged coalition of partners from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors."

Eric served as President and CEO of The Cara Program for 18 years. Under his leadership, the organization created and secured more than 4,000 transitional and permanent jobs for Cara graduates. Also, The Cara Program founded and established two leading social enterprises — Cleanslate Chicago and 180 Properties — to generate revenue and provide employment opportunities and on-the-job training to individuals who have significant obstacles to employment.

Prior to that, he spent ten years in the financial services industry with GE Capital and UBS. He was a member of the 2013 Emerging Leader Program for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is a Chicago Community Trust Fellow. In 2012, he was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to the Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise Task Force. Eric serves on the Advisory Board for the Social Enterprise Initiative at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; and serves on the boards of directors of the Social Enterprise Alliance, Streetwise, and the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation. He earned an undergraduate degree from Boston College; and M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where in 2011 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service.

"I am delighted to assume this role at Donors Forum during such an exciting time for our sector," said Eric. "There is so much that Donors Forum can and will do to foster innovation, create value, and maximize impact for our Members, as well as for society at large, and I'm energized to help move the sector forward."

A Fall event is planned to formally introduce Eric to Donors Forum's Members.

 ~ Marilou Jones, Donors Forum, Director of Strategic Marketing