After more than four and a half years, Brian Herstig, president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, will resign his position at the end of June to move closer to his family in Minnesota.
Herstig, who joined Federation in early 2020, said he was proud of what he has been able to accomplish at Federation, including managing the organization and community through the COVID pandemic; building a strong management and leadership team; and mobilizing fundraising support in response to global threats against Jewish people in Ukraine and Israel.
“Honestly, the biggest thing that stands out to me was completing the fundraising for and launching and then spinning off the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum as an independent organization,” said Herstig. “That’s something that doesn’t happen often.”
Federation Board Chair Bob Newmark commended Herstig, saying, “Brian has provided tremendous leadership, guiding this vital organization through tumultuous times and we are grateful for his contributions to Federation and the local Jewish community, as well as the guidance he will provide over the next few months as we develop a transition plan with him.”
Herstig, who has two daughters, ages 2 and 6, with his wife Barb, explained that her parents and extended family live in in Minnesota, where Herstig lived for 17 years just prior to moving to St. Louis. He also has two adult sons, ages 23 and 26, from a previous marriage who call Minneapolis “home base.”
Herstig emphasized that his decision to leave was not about the job at Federation but entirely for personal reasons, “to have a support system” nearby. He said he feels as if he is leaving Federation in a good position.
“This is a great community. This is not about the job, and I actually think this will be relatively easy role to fill because this is a really good Federation,” said Herstig. “There is outstanding leadership both on the volunteer and staff side. It’s willing to take a look at itself and ask what kinds of changes need to happen. This was a decision about family and what was best for my family and me.”
Federation will assemble an interim management team over the next few months, in collaboration with Herstig before his departure on June 30. Newmark said the organization will form a search committee led by Craig Rosenthal and Abby Goldstein and launch a nationwide search in the coming weeks for a new leader.
Newmark added that the organization is championing several important initiatives that will define its work for the next decade or more, including a St. Louis Jewish community study, an organizational strategic plan and a major security fundraising campaign.
“In our role as convener, provider and protector, we have new initiatives underway and are committed to ensuring the successful accomplishment of those initiatives, while continuing to deliver essential services to the many individuals and families that rely on Federation for support,” said Newmark.
