Lewis has been serving as acting president since May.
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David Lewis has been named president of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, the nonprofit announced today. "I am humbled, I am honored and I am excited," said Lewis, who has been acting president since Susan Gilmore stepped down May 1.
Lewis, who has spent 25 years working with the United Way, was unanimously selected by the search committee to succeed Gilmore long-term.
"We were very excited. David was part of our succession planning," said United Way Chairman Drew Lewis, who is not related. "When he was hired, we were already eying him as a successor to Susan Gilmore."
Gilmore left to become executive director of community engagement for FamilyWize, an Upper Saucon Township-based company that provides prescription discount cards to people with no or insufficient insurance.
David Lewis joined the Lehigh Valley United Way in January 2012 as vice president of resource development, but he is no stranger to the United Way organization.
While in graduate school at Rutgers University, David Lewis jumped at the chance to compete for an internship with the United Way in Camden County. He got the job and was hooked for life, most recently working for the United Way of Lancaster County before coming to the Lehigh Valley.
"I really firmly believe if the United Way didn't exist we'd have to create it tomorrow," David Lewis said.
David Lewis came on board and did an outstanding job with his first fundraising campaign allowing the organization to hit its first campaign target in six years, said Drew Lewis, who is vice president of business development at Automatic Data Processing. The 2012 campaign raised nearly $10.3 million to support area nonprofit agencies.
"That was under David's leadership and direction," he said.
Members of the local United Way's board of directors unanimously chose to make David Lewis its primary candidate for the job but agreed if he did not meet the criteria they would take the search nationally, Drew Lewis said. David Lewis' experience with United Way makes the promotion a natural progression in his career, he said.
"He passed with flying colors," Drew Lewis said. "Everyone was extremely impressed."
Building on successes
The United Way strives to provide the building blocks for communities to succeed, and David Lewis said he looks forward to further strengthening the Lehigh Valley.
The Lehigh Valley chapter has had great success with its community schools initiatives in 11 schools, the married father of three said. David Lewis hopes to see that expand to 13 by the end of the fiscal year and to enhance the existing programs.
"It's really hard to learn on an empty stomach," David Lewis said. "It is really hard to learn if you don't feel safe."
The community school initiative aims to make schools into hubs that connect parents and students with resources, such as health care and after-school programs, through partnerships.
The United Way acts as the intermediary to arrange the partnerships through organizations and the school.
"Community schools are getting results," David Lewis said.He also plans to enhance the Allentown Promise Neighborhood revitalization effort and work closely with the partners investing in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey arena and surrounding Neighborhood Improvement Zone in the city.
"We want to do our part to make sure the needs (are met) and the social, human services pieces are there," David Lewis said.
David Lewis also wants to boost public awareness of just what the United Way does for the Lehigh Valley community and where donor dollars go. The organization has stellar, committed volunteers and donors but a huge part of the Lehigh Valley population is not involved, he said.
David Lewis is getting ready to relocate his family to the area and he's impressed by all that's occurring in the region.
"It is a great, growing thriving area," he said. "But the most important thing is the people. Everyone I meet is genuinely caring."