CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Urban League Board of Directors recently announced that Shari Runner, who had been serving as the Interim President and CEO since June 1, 2015, has been appointed to the position permanently.
“After thoughtful evaluation and consideration, the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors determined that the best candidate for the role was the person acting as interim CEO for the Chicago Urban League,” said Maria C. Green, Chairman, CUL Board of Directors. “We are confident that Shari is the right person at the right time to drive the Chicago Urban League’s growth strategies and build upon the services we’ve been providing the community for nearly 100 years.”
Prior to her appointment as Interim President and CEO, Runner served as CUL’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Community Development since joining the organization in 2010. Before joining CUL, Runner served as Vice President, First National Bank of Chicago, and earlier in her career worked for ABN/AMRO Bank leading overnight trading and European Monetary System currency desks.
As a long-time community advocate and charitable-cause activist, Runner also serves on the Board of Directors of Urban Gateways and served as the president of the board of directors of the Bright Promises Foundation.
“I am proud of the Chicago Urban League and humbled to serve as its President and CEO,” said Runner. “I’m committed to working with our outstanding team to continue the same high level of service CUL has been providing for nearly 100 years.
These are particularly challenging times for the African American community in Chicago. A myriad of educational, economic and social justice issues, including high levels of unemployment and enduring housing segregation, mark where we are as our second century begins, but I’m determined that, together, we can build strong communities that we deserve and that our children will thrive and be proud to live in.”