United Way selects its new leader

Bill Golderer will lead efforts to end intergenerational poverty in region

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey has named a new president and chief executive officer. Bill Golderer has been appointed to the role, following a nationwide search that involved 170 candidates.

In his position, Golderer will work with United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s regional board of directors and corporate and community partners to lead efforts around the organization’s singular cause — ending intergenerational poverty.

“I took on this role because poverty looms as one of our greatest challenges — it traps our families and limits our entire region’s potential,” Golderer said in a press release. “It’s time to stop families from passing on poverty through generations and provide opportunities for our youth and families to thrive. Together, in partnership with the business community, the nonprofit sector, and our public officials, we can achieve this.”

Golderer joins the organization from Arch Street Presbyterian Church. He was also the founder of Broad Street Ministry, which enables cross-sector collaboration to lift people out of homelessness. Golderer is also a co-founder of

“I took on this role because poverty looms as one of our greatest challenges — it traps our families and limits our entire region’s potential.” — Bill Golderer

the Rooster Soup Company, the nation’s first for-profit, crowd-funded social impact restaurant that creates jobs and returns revenue to Philadelphia’s most impoverished citizens, according to the release.

“In Bill, United Way has found a mission-focused

leader who truly understands the underlying issues that contribute to the experience of living in poverty, and who possesses a unique ability to bring people from all walks of life together in creative ways to make a positive difference for those in need,” said Marcus Allen, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region, and member of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern

New Jersey’s regional Board of Directors, and member of the search committee.

“Bill brings a dynamic skill set to the table, but what really stood out for the search committee was his alignment with our refined mission, his lifelong commitment to service, his track record of results in fighting poverty and his vision for our future,” said Mindy Holman, chairman of Holman Automotive,

and a member of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s regional board of directors and co-chairman of the search. “We are excited to work alongside him and our partners from around the region to help more children and youth achieve success and more individuals and families become financially stable.”

Holman was joined as cochairman of the search by