CEO Judy Halper puts a wrap on 32-year career at JFCS that was ‘serendipitous’ in so many ways
The word that comes up often when Judy Halper is discussing her career at JFCS – from how she came to the agency, to how she later became Chief Executive Officer, and many of the successes that followed during her tenure – is “serendipity.”
So many aspects of her career were not planned – but as she approaches her retirement at the end of this year after 32 years at JFCS, including 20 as its CEO – she has nothing but pride and gratitude with how it all unfolded.
“I’m amazed and honored to have served with so many excellent people over the course of 32 years,” Judy said. “They’re experienced and professional and care deeply about the organization. The people I’ve gotten to know and worked with have made this a very fulfilling career.”
A fateful glance at a bulletin board
How Judy ended up at JFCS at all was pure happenstance. In 1993, she was working as a school psychologist with Minneapolis Public Schools; her job required her to have a pager that people could buzz her on when they needed her. She vividly remembers the day she got a page at work and went looking for a pay phone. The one she ended up using had a bulletin board next to it with a job posting for a half-time program director position at JFCS she happened to see while she was on the phone.
She didn’t think much of it, but when she mentioned it to her husband, Andy, he encouraged her to apply. She got her résumé in at the last minute and ended up being hired. “It’s an absolute mistake that I got here,” she said. “I was not looking for a job. If my pager had not gone off, I wouldn’t have been here. The poets would call it serendipity.”
She was hired to be JFCS’ program director for the Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister program, Mental Health Case Management, and the ACT Program, which served kids and families in the St. Louis Park school district. She later took on managing the agency’s Counseling program as well.
In 1999, then-CEO Jerry Waldman asked her to become JFCS’ Development Director, which was a new position at the agency. She was hesitant at first – “what do I know about fundraising?” she thought. However, Jerry told her she knew many members of the community and would be great in the position – and she was. She continued in that role even when she became Chief Program Officer in 2002.
Applying for the CEO role – a last-minute decision
Waldman announced his retirement in 2004; Judy initially had no inclination to apply for the CEO role. “I never thought of myself as being a CEO,” she said. “I thought I would be comfortable at being ‘number two.’” Nevertheless, several people encouraged to apply, so she decided to, even though it was late in the search process. It paid off – the committee conducting the search thought Judy was the right person for the job and she became JFCS CEO in 2005.
Jeff Mirviss, who was JFCS Board President at the time, was on the search committee. “Judy stood out as the perfect choice,” he said. “Her strong dedication to our community’s clients was clear in every decision she made, consistently reinforcing our confidence in her leadership.”
Looking back, Judy said those early days in the role are difficult for her to remember and felt like a whirlwind. “I just remember having this thought that JFCS was a very large ship and what I need to do is keep it balanced,” Judy said. “If I could just keep the ship moving and not tilting too far in either direction, that was my ambition.”
A much bigger ship
Looking back 20 years later, it’s safe to say the ship didn’t tip over – not only that – it also grew much larger in the last two decades. JFCS’ accomplishments under Judy’s leadership have been numerous. Just to name a few, the agency:
- Doubled its budget since 2007, expanding programs and services with a staff of 130
- Established key programs, including J-Pride, Memory Café, Keeping the Spirit Alive conference, Jewish Youth Mentoring Program, Addiction Services, and Assisted Transportation
- Launched and grew the ParentChild + program from 18 families in 2006 to 300+ families annually across five locations around the state—an unparalleled initiative within the network of JFCS organizations
- Expanded its endowment to $20 million, comprising over 300 funds
- Secured a major gift from the Helena Bigos Supporting Foundation
- Ensured financial stability and sustainability
- Judy served as Board Chair and several other positions for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies – JFCS’ national parent organization
On top of these, one of the most notable accomplishments was JFCS’ move in 2018 to its current building in Golden Valley with sponsorship from the Stillman Family Foundation. At the time, JFCS was looking to move out of its old office in Minnetonka – and also respond more to hunger and food security.
To be able to move into its current facility along with PRISM Food Shelf and partner with it in many more ways than previously was a huge win for the agency. “This building was a big deal for JFCS – we call it our ‘forever home,’” Judy said.
Andy Stillman of the Stillman Family Foundation, a JFCS Board Member, worked closely with Judy on the move and in many other capacities over the years. He praised Judy’s many remarkable accomplishments with JFCS and said she has always positioned the agency to address the needs of the community. “I attribute her success to her ability to communicate with people to reach in and pull out the best of them,” he said.
Development Director Dana Rubin, who has spent the last 12 years working with Judy, said she is extremely passionate about not only her own work, but the work of the entire staff. “Her knowledge is extraordinary and something that I deeply admire and strive to achieve every day,” Dana said. “Working with Judy for the past 12 years has truly been an honor of a lifetime, as I looked up to her leadership as a woman for my entire non-profit career.”
One of her favorite memories was their first snowbird “friend-raising” trip they went on – Dana made them both shirts that said “Thelma and Louise.” “I always smile when I think of that first trip together, working hard and having fun while doing it!” Dana said.
High points and turbulent times
Looking back at all JFCS has accomplished in the last 20 years, Judy said she feels pride and shares credit with all the people she has worked with. “I want to say that I don’t think of them as ‘my’ accomplishments,” she said. “I of course had a role, but I’ve been so very fortunate in all the staff, volunteers and donors I’ve gotten to work with.”
One of Judy’s personal high points has been all her work over the years with the Network of Jewish Human Services Association (NJHSA). She’s held many leadership positions with NJHSA,
including Board Chair. Many years ago, she had the opportunity to present an award in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the association and got to shake hands with the late Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights icon.
“It was one of those moments where I told myself, ‘Wow – look what I was able to do because of this career path,’” Judy said. “It was a great moment and there were many, many others.”
Serving in the CEO role for as long as she has, there’s been challenging times too. Just a few years after she started, the country fell into its “Great Recession” in 2008. She said it was a time of “financial horror” for everyone and the only time she could think of where JFCS had to downsize its staff. “However, we came back from that,” she said. “Leading through that, I remember it being a seminal moment and important time.”
She is proud of how much the agency has grown over the decades. When she started in 1993, the agency felt very “mom and pop,” she said, but now it feels like “a real business – which speaks to our sustainability.”
Cheering from the sidelines
With the current state of the country’s politics, uncertain funding streams, and other challenges, this is of course another challenging period for agencies like JFCS. Judy said she has worked hard to diversity JFCS’ funding sources, which is a key component of riding out turbulent times. As a leader, she focuses on what she and JFCS leadership can control and always works to be open to the advice and wisdom of others. It’s an approach she learned over the past 20 years.
“To anyone who seeks a leadership role, definitely surround yourself with people who are smarter than you,” she said. “I know what I bring to the table, but I have so benefited from people who care deeply, are wise and thoughtful. It’s made the work so rewarding.”
In retirement, she plans to remain relevant – continuing both her personal and professional development. She feels now is the right time for the agency to have new leadership and is confident incoming CEO Amy Weiss will be a great leader.
“I will absolutely be cheering from the sidelines,” Judy said. “I can’t believe I’ve spent 32 years of my life here. I know it’s going to remain an important part of my life in a different sort of way. I’m not tired. I have faith I will find ways to plug in.”
Friends of the Family Award
This year’s Friends of the Family Award at the JFCS 37th Annual Benefit honors and celebrates CEO Judy Halper, who is retiring after 32 years of remarkable leadership and dedicated service. The Annual Benefit will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, at Minneapolis Marriott Southwest. Get your tickets at tuneinjfcs.org!
Join us for a winter wonderland filled with friends, fun and a few surprises! Featuring music by The 70’s Magic Sunshine Band. Most importantly, come gather to support the critical work of JFCS, serving thousands of people each year in our community, our neighborhoods and our families.