Jill Michal Resigns as President and CEO of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

PHILADELPHIA, May 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ), has resigned, effective June 30, it was announced today.

Lon Greenberg, chairman of UGI Corporation/Amerigas and chairman of the UWGPSNJ regional board of directors, said the board had reluctantly accepted Michal's resignation, citing her accomplishments over the past six years.

"Under Jill's leadership, this United Way has thrived, evolving to meet the challenges facing the region as a whole, along with the demands of the philanthropic community committed to making real, measurable change," said Greenberg. "Jill guided this organization through a severe economic downturn and helped United Way evolve into a strategic investor in the health and human services sector, making even more meaningful Impact in this community. Her contributions cannot be overstated."

Michal became president and CEO in August 2008, after spending seven years as executive vice president, operations and chief financial officer. Prior to joining the United Way organization, she spent eight years at Arthur Andersen LLP in several management positions.

In announcing her decision to the staff today, Michal said, "I am extremely proud of all of the accomplishments we've achieved during my tenure, and while there is more to do for this community, leaders know when it's time to leave and give someone else an opportunity. Now is that time for me, and I am looking forward to a whole new set of challenges and opportunities." She thanked the staff for their unwavering commitment to the mission of United Way and told them to continue making an Impact in our community. "This is an important pivot point for this organization, but there is no better team ready to address the challenges our region faces. This community can count on the individuals in this organization to continue making the kind of measurable, lasting Impact that none of us can achieve alone."

Michal's June 30 departure also coincides with the organization's fiscal year-end and the start of a new, three-year funding cycle. Greenberg said the board will be deliberate in conducting a national search for a new president and CEO.

"As you can imagine, these are challenging times for all nonprofit organizations, yet United Way remains well-positioned to make a meaningful Impact in people's lives, tackling education, income and health challenges throughout our region. We will find the right leader, and that is more important than meeting any deadline; however, we will be naming an interim leader prior to June 30 to help with the transition."

During her tenure at United Way, Michal was honored as a Woman of Distinction and "40 under 40" by the Philadelphia Business Journal. In addition, she received the 2012 "Strong, Smart and Bold" award from Girls Inc. and was named a 2014 Drum Major Honoree for Community Empowerment by the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Nonviolence.

About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, serving communities in Pennsylvania's Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey's Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Cumberland counties, is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way is advancing the common good in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey by positively Impacting the lives of people throughout the region in the areas of education, income, and health. For more information about United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey visit www.UnitedForImpact.org.

SOURCE United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey