June 15, 2016 — New York, New York
John Shapiro was elected President of AJC during the organization’s Global Forum 2016 in Washington, D.C. Shapiro, who chaired AJC’s Board of Trustees for the past three years, succeeds Stanley M. Bergman.
“In a time of increasing opportunity and trepidation for Jews worldwide, AJC is privileged to have John Shapiro as our president,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “John’s lifelong commitment to the Jewish community, extensive experience in non-profit leadership positions, and business acumen will be essential to helping guide AJC, as we embark on the next 110 years of global advocacy.”
Shapiro, managing director of Chieftain Capital Management, Inc., which he co-founded in 1984, was appointed to AJC’s Executive Council in 2005. In addition to AJC, he previously served as President of the UJA-Federation of New York and President of the Dalton School, and currently serves as Chairman of Lawyers for Children and Vice Chairman of the American Academy in Rome. He is also on the boards of Rockefeller University, The Jewish Museum, and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
“I am honored to be handed the responsibility to lead AJC,” said Shapiro. “The challenges are enormous, from the pernicious efforts to delegitimize Israel, to the resurrection of antisemitism, especially in Europe, to the BDS movement activities on campuses. But AJC is as ready as ever to step up our engagement with, and advocacy on, these critical matters.”
Indeed, Shapiro continued, “Thanks to AJC’s international reach, no organization is better positioned to address these issues.”
Just hours after the AJC Global Forum ended, Shapiro joined Harris and Bergman on an AJC diplomatic mission to Sweden and Poland.
Other senior AJC officers elected at the AJC Global Forum include: Harriet P. Schleifer, Chair, Board of Governors; Matthew Bronfman, Chair, Board of Trustees; Linda Mirels, Associate Chair, Board of Trustees; Steven J. Wisch, Associate Chair, Board of Trustees; Suzi Jaffe, Treasurer/Secretary; Frank Linde, Associate Treasurer; Robert L. Newmark, Chair, Leadership Development; Matthew J. Coen, Chair, Marketing and Communications; and Steven L. Zelkowitz Chair, Program Coordinating Committee.
