One Hope United Welcomes Damon Cates, EdD as President & Chief Executive Officer
2024年5月16日 - 11:00PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Cates Brings Decades of Leadership to
Advance OHU's Mission of Strengthening Families and
Communities
After an extensive national search, One Hope United (OHU)
announces the appointment of Damon Cates, EdD as its new President
& Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Cates had been serving as
Interim President & CEO since August 2023.
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One Hope United (OHU) announces the
appointment of Damon Cates, EdD as its new President & CEO.
(Photo: Business Wire)
“Four months ago, the OHU Board of Directors embarked on a
search for the next President & CEO to increase access to
quality early childhood education, improve child welfare outcomes,
and expand mental health services,” said Chris Hoffman, Chair of
the OHU Board of Directors. “We are delighted that our search led
us to Damon Cates, who is the right leader for the job.”
OHU’s Board of Directors was impressed by Damon’s key
accomplishments in his interim role, including his leadership on
fundraising at the state and federal level, strengthening
relationships with legislative leaders in Illinois, Florida and at
the federal level, leading the organization through its COA
accreditation process and initiatives to strengthen collaboration
and teamwork throughout the organization, and helping shape and
share the One Hope United story. Cates accomplished all this while
continuing his role as Chief Advancement Officer.
“I’m thrilled that I will be able to continue to join you all in
this fight to expand children and family services nationwide, build
upon the strong legacy of the organization and lead us effectively
toward our next generation of impact,” said Cates.
“Damon creates an atmosphere where collaboration and teamwork
can flourish, which is what you need in an organization that relies
on ingenuity and creativity to grow and thrive,” said Jerry
Haralson, CEO Transition Committee leader and board member.
As a trusted children and family services provider, OHU has been
asked to offer additional support in both Florida and Illinois.
Under Cates’ leadership, OHU is ready to answer that call and meet
the growing need for quality child-focused programming through The
OHU Promise, a commitment to increase the number of children and
families served from 10,000 to 15,000 by 2030, while growing
revenue from $75 million to $125 million at the same time.
“Please join us in extending a warm ‘Thank You’ to Cates as he
continues his impactful work for One Hope United through his new
official role as CEO,” says Hoffman. “We look forward to continued
growth and reach under his leadership.”
About One Hope United
One Hope United (OHU) is a leading, complex, multi-site social
service organization with a revenue of approximately $78 million in
2023 and a staff of 800. It serves 10,000 children and families
each year in Illinois and Florida. Through education centers, child
and family services, behavioral health resources, residential
programs, and evidence-based and trauma-informed practices, One
Hope United empowers children and families to see and create a
future where, regardless of their past, they can reach their full
potential.
Visit our website and learn how Hope Grows with Us at
https://onehopeunited.org/.
About Damon Cates, EdD
Damon Cates, EdD joined One Hope United in July 2022 as Chief
Advancement Officer. In August 2023, Cates stepped in as Interim
President & CEO, where he led the development of long- and
short- term strategies, managed overall operations and resources,
and served as OHU’s primary spokesperson.
Cates has earned a BA from Millikin University, an MBA from the
University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an EdD from the
University of Pennsylvania. He joined OHU after more than 16 years
at the University of Chicago where he led alumni relations and
development programs for several of the University’s academic
units. Cates has also held leadership fundraising positions at the
University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.
Beyond his current impact on OHU’s success, Cates is a
sought-after speaker who regularly presents at fundraising
conferences. He has published articles on enhancing constituent
engagement and building organizational capacity. Cates was also
appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to the Illinois Youth Budget
Commission in 2023.
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