A local business executive with a history of community and federation involvement has been named as the next president of the Jewish Federation of Greater St. Louis.

Bob Millstone, 48, president of the the Millstone Company and grandson of noted community builder and philanthropist I.E. Millstone, will assume leadership of the agency’s board in September to begin a two-year stint in the position, which will now be known as chair rather than president. The Clayton resident succeeds attorney Sanford Neuman in the job, which is limited to a single term in office.

In addition to his work with the Federation, Millstone is president of the Millstone Foundation and treasurer of Good Government for Missouri as well as being involved with the Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation, the National Council of the Washington University School of Law and the University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor’s Council. The Jewish Federations of North America has recognized him as a Max Fisher Fellow and he is a past recipient of the American Jewish Committee’s Netzach Award along with the rest of his family.

“I think Bob is an extraordinary individual and a great person to lead the federation at this moment in time,” said Barry Rosenberg, executive vice president of the organization. “Over the last 10 years, Bob has taken on an incredible progression of positions that has given him background and experience but he’s also immersed himself in understanding the contemporary Jewish world, the context in which the federation has to make decisions.”

Todd Siwak, chair of the strategic planning committee, called Millstone diligent and conscientious, noting he is a thoughtful and considerate leader who gets things done in a way that inspires others to follow.

“Bob has an ability – and it’s a very positive characteristic – to become integrally involved in all facets,” said Siwak, “and he takes the time necessary to make sure that he understands all sides of a potential opportunity or challenge. He really invests himself in the project that he’s engaged in.”

Outgoing president Neuman agreed saying Millstone will make a superb leader for the board.

“He’s very bright. He’s creative. He’s thoughtful. He’s a good listener,” Neuman said. “I think he works hard with people and tries very hard to build concensus.”

Millstone will assume leadership of the board in the midst of a period of change and challenge for the organization. Rosenberg, the agency’s head for the past 18 years, announced his intention to leave the position at the end of his present contract in late 2013 and a recently formed search committee, led by Millstone, is seeking his successor. Meanwhile, the Federation is on the cusp of implementing a wide-ranging six-point strategic plan approved last July meant to refocus the organization’s priorities.

“This is a very exciting time for the Jewish community and the Federation,” said Millstone. “We have a new strategic plan that really reflects the needs of the community. We’re undertaking the search for a new professional head of the organization and we’re having increasing engagement by the younger generation. These changes, coupled with the ongoing support and help of the people who got us to this point are going to allow us to transition the organization in a way that doesn’t happen very often.”

Another challenge is financial. Stung by the economic crisis, the Federation’s annual campaign dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade last year falling under the $10 million mark. It was the third consecutive year of decline for the yearly fundraising push, which had been coming off a record-breaking 2007 performance.

Despite the struggles, Millstone said the Federation’s shrinking totals were merely indicative of the problems Jewish philanthropic concerns were experiencing nationwide.

“A lot of communities were down over 14 percent the first year so I would say that our results in St. Louis, while not what we hoped for, show that we have a very generous community that overall supports the work that we’re doing,” said Millstone, who has chaired the campaign for two years. “As the economy recovers and businesses and individuals do better, we believe the campaign will do better.”

Still, the Federation is looking at new ideas to boost the sagging figures. Millstone said that it was working to roll out an increasing number of options that cater to younger donors’ preference for direct giving opportunities.

One new initiative, the Federation’s adoption of the Create a Jewish Legacy concept, helps synagogues and Judaic groups boost bequests and endowments through incentives and training sessions.

Meanwhile, the Millstone and Lubin-Green foundations continue to support the Millstone Institute for Jewish Leadership in training the next generation of leaders.

“We’re facing the same challenges everybody is facing,” Millstone said. “From my perspective, it’s a community challenge. The federation is here to help meet the needs of the community and to help support and sustain a strong, thriving Jewish community so it’s incumbent upon us to be able to raise money to meet those needs and provide services that are important to people.”

Millstone, who has been involved in volunteer efforts with the Federation since 2003 when he was named head of the Government Relations Committee, said that he believes building a warm, welcoming, inclusive community is the most important key to a prosperous future for Jewish St. Louisans.

“Leadership is about a lot of people coming together both on the professional and the volunteer side,” he said. “I think we are very fortunate to have a group of officers coming in who have been involved for a very long time as well as some new people. We need to balance new ideas with things we’ve done well for a long time.”

He said that listening to voices in the community was vital to getting people involved.

“Please come with your ideas and let us know what we need to do differently and better,” Millstone said. “I promise that we will be open, will listen and will do the best job we can to move forward in the way that’s best for the broadest segment of people.”