Plung to succeed Rudolph as federation chair leading into centennial year
Louis Plung has been nominated to be the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s next chairman of the board, its nominating committee has announced.
Plung will succeed William C. Rudolph this fall, the start of the federation’s centennial year.
An active partcipant in the federation for the last 12 years, Plung currently serves as its annual campaign chair, vice chair of the executive committee, and as an active member of the administrative and compensation committees.
He hopes to lead the federation into its 100th year by continuing its core mission of building community.
“Federation is a reflection of the entire community,” he said. “And the idea is to build community locally, in Israel, and around the world.”
Plung comes to his new position with a wealth of experience in financial and strategic planning. He has chaired the federation’s funding committee as well as its panels on community building and central services, which oversees the entire financial and accounting operations of the federation.
He also has participated in federation committee work involving community issues such as board governance, strategic planning, and internal controls for the federation and its agencies. He is a past recipient of both the Gerald S. Ostrow Volunteer of the Year and William and Olga Stark Young Leadership Awards.
“This community is in extremely capable hands with Louis Plung,” outgoing chair Rudolph said in a prepared statement. “It is most appropriate that the federation’s next 100 years begin with someone whose passion for the Jewish people and understanding of the divergent needs of our community are truly extraordinary.”
The beginning of the centennial year is an ideal time to reflect on the continuity of its mission of community building, Plung said.
“Our mission is the same as it was 100 years ago,” he said, “although the specifics may change from year to year.”
Plung sees the federation “expanding the vision of our community, and continuing to grow the community.”
“We’re at a unique time right now,” he said. “We need to look at ways to make Jewishness in Pittsburgh, and worldwide, relevant. Outside influences threaten its relevancy at times. Looking back 100 years, Judaism is different today than it was then, and it will be different 100 years from now.”
He said the federation would be increasing “opportunities for Jewish learning across the spectrum, including adult Jewish education.”
The ability and willingness of various organizations and agencies to work together for a common goal is one of the things that keeps Pittsburgh’s Jewish community vital, Plung said.
As chair of the federation, Plung will help lead the federation’s Centennial Mega Mission to Israel, a community-wide trip to the Jewish state in June 2012.
Plung is the managing partner of Louis Plung & Company LLP, where he provides financial and business consulting. He and his wife Lori, and their two children, live in Squirrel Hill.
Plung will be formally installed as chair of the federation at its annual meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 21, to be held at the Jewish Community Center, Squirrel Hill.
(Toby Tabachnick can be reached at tobyt@thejewishchronicle.net.)
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