Bishop Kevin Farrell and the staff of of the Pastoral Center at the Catholic Diocese of Dallas congratulate Matt Kramer in his role as the new President and CEO of The Catholic Foundation.
The Board of Trustees of The Catholic Foundation announced today that J. Matthew (Matt) Kramer has been selected as the new president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation effective Jan. 2, 2013. A community foundation, The Catholic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity established to work with donors interested in charitable giving and to make charitable grants that meet the needs of the Catholic community within the Dallas Diocese.
Kramer, a longtime corporate executive in Dallas, will succeed current president and CEO Ed Schaffler who will retire at the end of 2012.
“Matt Kramer’s exceptional business experience paired with his strong connections to family, community and faith led to his selection as CEO and president of The Catholic Foundation,” said Thomas Merkel, chair of The Catholic Foundation Board of Trustees. “The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is confident that with Matt at the helm, we will find continued success in serving a growing donor base while meeting the rapidly multiplying needs of this community. We welcome Matt, a well-respected servant leader, to The Catholic Foundation.”
Kramer gained 28 years of business and leadership experience at Dallas-based Commercial Metals Corporation (CMC), most recently as CMC Americas Executive Vice President. He led strategy and policy process innovation teams that contributed greatly to significant business improvements. He left Commercial Metals in 2009 to pursue his interests in teaching and consulting on international trade, succession and business strategy. He currently heads Kramer Global Advisory, LLC and Leopard International Company.
“I am thrilled that my new role as president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation allows me the opportunity to combine my business expertise at growing and leading an organization, and my commitment to the Catholic community,” said Kramer. “My wife Kris and I have been active in local parishes and Catholic organizations for 30 years, and this new career direction will allow me to focus my time, energy and expertise on a foundation that makes a tremendous impact on those it serves.”
Kramer has served as co-chair of the $15 million Catholic Charities of Dallas Endowment Campaign and is currently the Vice President of the CEO Netweavers nonprofit organization. He is a board member at Central States Manufacturing Inc. of Lowell, Arkansas, and treasurer of the North Texas District Export Council. Kramer earned a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies with a minor in business administration at St. Louis University
.Kramer and his wife of 30 years, Kris, have two sons who are graduates of Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas. His oldest son, Joey, is a Texas Christian University graduate who resides in Coppell with his wife KD. His son Kevin is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Dallas. The Kramers attend St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, where they reside. He participates in St. Rita’s choir and schola cantorum.
The Foundation retained Dallas-based Brigham Hill Consultancy to assist in the search process for a new president and CEO.
Current President and CEO Ed Schaffler took the reins at The Catholic Foundation in 1997, and since that time, the Foundation has received $57 million in contributions. Today, The Catholic Foundation is home to more than 300 donor-advised funds and charitable trusts and manages more than $125 million in assets. The Foundation has distributed more than $56.7 million in grants during his tenure, touching virtually every parish and school in the Diocese of Dallas and fulfilling the philanthropic visions of donors for projects in Dallas and beyond. Schaffler announced his retirement this summer.
Chartered in 1955, The Catholic Foundation was founded by a group of dedicated Catholic laymen with a vision that extended far beyond the charitable needs of the moment. This independent, nonprofit corporation dedicates its resources to compassionate charitable giving through grants provided by benefactors through its many planned giving programs. More than $73 million has been provided to meet the needs within the Diocese of Dallas and the community, through grants to various religious, educational and charitable organizations.
For additional information about The Catholic Foundation, call 972.661.9792 or visit www.catholicfoundation.com.