Lee Fisher Named President and CEO of CEOs for Cities
Posted by Julia Klaiber on April 21, 2011
Paul Grogan, Board Chair of CEOs for Cities and President and CEO of The Boston Foundation announced today that Lee Fisher, former Ohio Lt. Governor and Attorney General, has been named President and CEO of CEOs for Cities.
“After an extensive national search, we determined that Lee Fisher was the perfect choice to take CEOs for Cities to the next level of excellence and impact,” said Grogan. “His unique leadership experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors and his exceptional record as Director of Economic Development for Ohio and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission uniquely qualify him for this very important national role.”
Fisher served as an Ohio state legislator, Ohio Attorney General, President and CEO of the Center for Families and Children in Cleveland, Ohio and Ohio Lt. Governor. In his role as Lt. Governor, serving with Governor Ted Strickland, Fisher also served as Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Chair of the Economic Growth Council, and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and member of the Ohio Venture Capital Authority which fund high potential technology-based early stage companies.
“I’m honored and excited to lead such a dynamic, well respected national organization. I believe that we must have strong cities to have a strong America,” said Fisher, upon acceptance of the position. “The drivers of economic prosperity are talent, connections, innovation, and distinctiveness, and CEOs for Cities is a national leader in connecting urban leaders to these powerful ideas and to each other.”
Fisher succeeds the distinguished leadership of Carol Coletta, who served as President and CEO from 2005 – 2011 and brought national attention to the role of talent, place and opportunity in creating successful cities for a successful nation.
During the time Fisher led Ohio’s economic development efforts, Site Selection magazine awarded its Governor’s Cup to Ohio three consecutive times – in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Governor’s Cup recognizes the state with the most new or expanded capital investment projects in the nation. Site Selection also recognized Ohio with the 2008 Competitiveness Award, recognizing the Ohio Department of Development, under Fisher’s leadership, as the top economic development agency in the country.
Fisher led the creation of Ohio’s first-ever Strategic Plan for Economic Development. The plan is best known for Fisher’s idea, the Ohio Hubs of Innovation and Opportunity, designed to foster urban-based collaborations between businesses, colleges and universities and research institutions.
Fisher is a 1973 graduate of Oberlin College and a 1976 graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He also has his Masters Degree in Nonprofit Organization from Case Western Reserve University.