AGENCY CHIEF: United Way hires Rev. Kenneth Robinson as its new president.
Robinson also a doctor, past Tenn. commissioner of health
The United Way of the Mid-South has taken Benjamin Franklin’s advice in hiring Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson as its next president and CEO.
“If you want something done, ask a busy person,” Franklin famously said in suggesting the busiest people are best at managing their time.
Robinson is a former practicing physician and a Tennessee commissioner of health from 2003 to 2007 who currently serves as pastor of St. Andrew AME Church, Shelby County’s public health policy adviser, a community developer and uber volunteer.
The 60-year- old will leave one of those jobs — the county position — to start as United Way chief on Feb. 1. His annual salary in leading the agency of 48 employees will be $250,000.
The 91-year-old agency collects contributions and grants to disperse to 83 nonprofit organizations in Shelby, Crit-
tenden, DeSoto, Tunica, Fayette, Lauderdale, and Tipton counties. Its mission is “improving the lives of Mid-Southerners by mobilizing and aligning community resources to address priority issues.”
In March, the local United Way sharpened its priorities to focus on education, financial stability and health.
Robinson takes over as contributions have dropped, by nearly 21 percent over the past four years. The organization received $21.2 million in contributions and grants for fiscal year 2013, compared with $26.8 million in fiscal 2010.
But United Way officials noted that most cities have experienced even greater drops in charitable donations.
“We are very fortunate,” said Dave Skorupa, a spokesman for United Way of the Mid-South. “Major metropolitan areas in other parts of the country have seen drastic drops in fundraising. We’ve seen a little bit of a decrease but not the drastic drop.”
Robinson describes Memphis as one of the most generous urban communities in the nation. He cited a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy study ranking Memphis at No. 2 among the largest U. S. cities for generosity. Memphians on average donate 5.1 percent of their income.
“Part of our work together, which will be very collaborative with other United Way agencies, will be inspiring both current donors and a new generation of donors to understand the collective impact,” Robinson said Friday.
“... That is a powerful argument to make and I think going forward, articulating and inspiring the community to understand the unique value of United Way, and raising our own level of intensity in promoting and executing on the extraordinary strategic plan we now have, will lead to additional investment in United Way,” he said.
Robinson succeeds Bryce Haugsdahl, who retired in August as president and CEO after serving five years. The agency offered the job to Robinson after a national search.
“Dr. Robinson brings to this position 23 years of experience with United Way at multiple levels, along with a stellar background as a leader in the fields of medicine, health policy, planning, education, business, faith-based initiatives, government, fund development and urban revitalization,” local United Way chairman Shannon Brown said in a prepared statement.
“Moreover, Dr. Robinson has a proven record of success in building and sustaining relationships and programs that are making a significant impact within numerous sectors of our community,” said Brown, a senior vice president at FedEx.
Robinson received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard, and his divinity degree from Vanderbilt.
The United Way provided a “selected sample” of Robinson’s leadership roles over the years in medicine, public health, health care and civic affairs. It’s not just that the list is 47 items long, but that so many of the positions are weighty at state, national and board-of-director levels.
Robinson does not feel he wears a lot of different hats, but rather that everything he does is part of a “unified vision of my own ministry and of the work I’m called to do.
“In this case,” he said of taking the United Way job, “it’s really bringing about holistic healing to individual families and communities.”
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said Friday he does not know yet if he will replace Robinson as the county health adviser.
Luttrell said that “without a doubt” Robinson’s biggest contribution since taking the job in 2008 has been pulling together a Healthy Shelby Initiative. The program leverages resources and gets competing hospitals to cooperate to improve overall health in the county.
For the past two years, Luttrell has walked with Robinson in the St. Andrew AME Church 5K road run/walk.
“As we walk the 5K, he is out there proselytizing to folks hanging outside the bars,” Luttrell recalled.
“As we see people sitting on the front porch enjoying their morning beer, he encourages them to come to church the next morning. He’s always positive and outgoing.”