Lee Clark, a business executive and nonprofit fundraiser, has been named Regional Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross for Southwest Virginia. With 25 years of experience in marketing, development and finance positions, Clark most recently served as Director of Development and Finance for the Rescue Mission where he had directed fundraising efforts aimed at achieving the organization’s annual $4 million operation budget.
Clark, a CPA, has also worked locally in southwest Virginia in positions with The Roanoke Times and Brown, Edwards & Company, giving him a “unique marketing and finance background well suited for a CEO of the American Red Cross,” according to a press release sent out by the organization. His professional leadership experience includes serving as president of the Roanoke Valley Estate Planning Council and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. He currently serves as 2nd Vice President of the Radford University Executive Council of the National Alumni Association.
“It is an honor to be asked to lead the American Red Cross, an organization that has been an integral part of southwest Virginia for 94 years serving 1.4 million people,” said Clark. “I am humbled and excited to build on what I have learned at the Rescue Mission to work with this incredible humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance and emotional support to victims of disasters, teaches critical life saving and emergency preparedness skills, and supports military members and their families.”
Joe Crawford, Red Cross Board Chair for the Southwest Virginia Region said, “We are extremely excited to have someone of Lee’s background and talent to lead the Red Cross in our Region. On behalf of the Board, we welcome Lee in his new role and commend the Search Committee, headed by board member Tom Johnson, for their hard work and diligence in setting the future direction of our Region through such an excellent choice in leadership.”
Clark succeeds Tom Brown who served as the Regional CEO for 18 years. Brown retired in December, 2010. Clark assumed his position with the American Red Cross on March 28.
