Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish news. / Aug. 1, 2015, edition 1 / Page 10
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The Charlotte Jewish News -August 2015 - Page 10 Combining the Corporate with the Communal Spelled Success for LJCC Outgoing CEO Phil Berman By Amy Krakovitz It seems as though Phil Berman was groomed for the position as CEO of the Levine ICC from his earliest years. “My grandfather gave me a love and passion for Ju daism, for tikkun olam, and mitzvot. At the same time, he en- eouraged me to be eompetitive and sueeessful in sehool and in business,” Berman says. These two qualities were just what the Levine JCC needed in 2006 when Berman was asked to eome out of retirement (he had sold his business in 2000) and serve as interim direetor. Having been on the Levine JCC board for many years, he was familiar with both the workings of the J and the eomplexities of the Shalom Park Partnership. Add to that his busi ness aeumen, and you’ve got the perfeet storm. Does your child.... Appear to listen but not hear? Have difficulty following directions? Seem overly distracted in noise? 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THE VILLAGE AT SOUTH PARK Just Two Doors Down from Crate & Barrel 4310 Sharon Road, Suite T-09 Charlotte, NC 28211 www.davidsltd.com 704-364-6543 “Phil stepped into a void at the LJCC at a time when we needed him most,” says Roni Fishkin, who was on the LJCC board and president when Berman beeame interim exeeutive direetor in 2005. “No one eould have antieipated the upward trajeetory that he began and the eommunity will al ways be grateful for his leadership and serviee to our Jewish home.” And what was this “upward tra jeetory”? During Berman’s tenure as CEO of the LJCC, membership and revenues doubled; Jewish membership inereased 40%. “The sueeess of the LJCC has triekled down to other organizations on Shalom Park,” says David Van Glish, who was LJCC board pres ident from 2011-13, “and has im proved the Park in general.” Van Glish eontinues, “While Phil had a responsibility to do what was best for the LJCC, he al ways looked at the bigger pieture and how the deeisions of the J af- feeted the entire park. As presi dent of the LJCC, I saw firsthand how Phil would eonstantly wear the ‘eommunity hat’ in terms of his deeision making.” “He made the tough deeisions,” Erie Sklut, who was LJCC presi dent 1996-98, agrees. “Coming from a eorporate rather than a eommunal baekground, Phil was just what the J needed at the time. He was sueeessful at pruning what didn’t work and improving and adding things that did work. Phil has a distinet way of eapturing the vision of the Park and addressing eustomer needs.” This eombination of eommu nity and eorporate abilities aren’t the only seemingly exelusive qualities that exist symbiotieally in Berman. Sklut adds, “Phil has both a sense of philanthropy and keen understanding of the partner ship.” Sue Worrel, exeeutive di reetor of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, says, “His most speeial quality is his ability to make tough deeisions and to be eompassionate and earing as war ranted. He never loses his unique eapaeity to see both the business and the human side of things.” And Berman’s staff agrees that he is able to eneompass many faeets of strong leadership. “People are sueeessful under Phil’s leadership beeause he expeets so mueh of his staff while at the same time pro viding the resourees needed to hit the mark,” LJCC senior direetor of sports and fitness, Jen Lahn, ex presses about Berman. Anna Gun- sher, senior direetor, family life at the LJCC adds, “Phil pushed us all to think outside our eomfort zones and he had the faith in his staff to Phil Berman know we eould aeeomplish great things.” But growing programs and de veloping staff are only the begin ning of Berman’s philosophy about the LJCC. “What I wanted for the J,” Berman deelares, “is a eulture of fun. This should feel like home. When you walk in the door, I want people to say, ‘I love being here’ or ‘This is great.’ Kids meet friends here. It’s a safe plaee. It’s a plaee to make eonneetions. “You think we’re just the Cho sen People,” Berman eontinues. “We’re also the Choosing People. And as CEO of the J, I want your ehoiee to be with the Chosen.” While Berman will be going on to other great adventures in the eorporate world, he leaves the LJCC with a new future. The LJCC Capital Campaign will help build a new pool with zero entry, a larger shallow area, and a faster slide; more shade on the pool deek; a new group elass spaee in the fitness eenter; expanded and improved loeker rooms; a new eli- mate eonfrol system; refurbishing of fitness surfaees, raequetball eourts, the pavilion, and other sports areas; improvements to Camp Mindy have already been eompleted. And a $3.6 million dollar matehing pledge from the Levine-Sklut families will ereate an endowment for the future. “Personally, I will deeply miss Phil spontaneously bursting through my offiee door on a regu lar basis,” adds Worrel. “I will miss his support.” Fishkin sees the big pieture of Berman’s leaving: “Generations of Jewish families will be the ben- efieiaries of Phil’s eommitment and dedieation.” But Berman himself had only these words to say about his tenure at the Levine JCC: “It’s been a privilege.” ^ C na riotte God casts the die, not the dice.” -Albert Einstein
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