New York, NY – The Board of Directors of JDC, the global Jewish humanitarian organization, elected Mark Sisisky as its next President, a position he will assume in February 2020. Mr. Sisisky, a native of Richmond, Virginia, has been a member of the JDC Board of Directors since 2009, serving most recently as the organization’s Vice President. A retired Managing Partner of Heritage Wealth Advisors based in Richmond and president and chief investment officer of New Dominion of Virginia, Mr. Sisisky brings to his new role a formidable background in finance, philanthropy, and a deep commitment to the Jewish people and Israel.
“Since I was first introduced to JDC more than a decade ago on a leadership mission to Ukraine, my commitment to the organization has deepened and is unwavering. It is the greatest privilege to serve as JDC’s president, working with both JDC’s Board and professional staff to ensure our beloved organization remains at the forefront of efforts to transform the lives of Jews and others in great need,” said Sisisky. “I now look forward to partnering with my colleagues to continue JDC’s ongoing work addressing critical needs with kindness, excellence, and rigor. Among my priorities as president is to unite us behind JDC’s timeless mission and ensure we have the resources, positioning and partnerships to set a course for a Jewish future that is bright and strong.”
In addition to his wide-ranging work at JDC, Sisisky is an esteemed civic and local Jewish leader in Richmond, Virginia. He currently serves as a Board Member of the University of Virginia Hillel and Prime Minister’s Council of JFNA. He previously served as President of the United Way of Southside Virginia (which became the United Way of Greater Richmond), the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, the Richmond Jewish Foundation, the American Red Cross of Southside Virginia, as well as a past trustee at the Community Foundation of Greater Richmond and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation. Sisisky was appointed to the Economic Development Strategic Planning Task Force for The Commonwealth of Virginia and has served four times by appointment to the highly successful Virginia-Israel Partnership.
“For more than a century, JDC’s ability to advance its timeless mission and transform the lives of Jews and other people in need has been anchored in the passionate dedication and forward-facing vision of leaders like Mark Sisisky. We are incredibly proud that Mark takes up the role of JDC President with an unwavering commitment to the Jewish values that drive our efforts, to building a rising generation of Jewish leaders imbued with that spirit, and to the innovation and sustainability that are hallmarks of our work,” said Asher Ostrin, Interim CEO of JDC.
Among his leadership accomplishments at JDC, Sisisky has invested in the rising generation of Jewish leaders through his creation and permanent endowment of the Mark and Susan Sisisky JDC Global Enrichment Fund of Richmond Jewish Foundation, by which dozens of Sisisky Fellows have traveled on JDC Entwine programs to learn about Jewish communities, global issues, and take action to address these concerns. Sisisky was past Chair of JDC’s Former Soviet Union Committee, Budget & Finance Committee, Strategic Financial Planning Task Force, and Annual Board Fund. He is a member of the JDC Schiff Society and currently serves on JDC’s Audit Committee, CEO Search Committee, Executive Committee, Officer’s Cabinet, Global Program Committee, Government Affairs Committee, Investment Committee, Israel Executive Committee, Officers Cabinet, Resource Development Committee and Strategic Finance Committee.