Open Hand Hires Co-CEOs

For the second time in just over a week, a San Francisco-based nonprofit has decided to hire two people to replace a departing top executive.

Following on the heels of Gay-Straight Alliance Network, which announced February 25 that it has hired Ginna Brelsford and Geoffrey Winder as co-executive directors, Project Open Hand's board has appointed Simon Pitchford and Mark Ryle as co-chief executive officers to replace Executive Director Kevin Winge, who previously said he's stepping down April 3 to help care for sick family members.

POH said in a Friday, February 27 news release that Pitchford and Ryle, both current staff members at the agency, would start their new jobs April 4. Project Open Hand provides meals and groceries to critically ill people, including those living with HIV/AIDS.

Pitchford, 53, who joined the nonprofit in July 2012, is currently the associate executive director of operations and strategic initiatives. Ryle, 51, has been with POH since August 2013 and is the group's associate executive director for finance, wellness programs, and strategic initiatives. Both men are gay and live in San Francisco.

In a joint emailed statement, the men said they're "excited" to lead the organization, which is marking its 30th year, "to help ensure it continues to thrive and grow over the coming years. We continue to implement Project Open Hand's three-year strategic plan, which places renewed emphasis on wellness and nutrition for all communities we serve."

Pitchford and Ryle also pointed to the Food=Medicine pilot study POH is conducting with UCSF's School of Medicine, which is "nearing completion."

"The pilot study will demonstrate that providing nutrition to people with critical illness benefits their health," they said. "We anticipate the study results will help Project Open Hand to capture new funding opportunities under the Affordable Care Act" national health care reform law. "As a result, we can better serve our existing clients and expand to serve others, which in turn, attracts new partners and funding opportunities."

The organization has 8,421 unique clients. Fifty-five percent of those people, or 4,645, are in the senior lunch program, which is for people who are over 60. POH's budget is $10 million.

Pitchford and Ryle's salaries will be $165,000 each, Maria Stokes, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit, said in an email exchange. That totals $330,000. Winge's salary was $200,000.

"They will have the same bonus structure as [Winge]; their bonuses will be equal and pro-rata for this fiscal year," said Stokes. Even with the two men's combined salary being more than Winge's salary, Stokes said, "There will not be any material impact on the Project Open Hand budget." The organization won't be hiring replacements to fill Pitchford and Ryle's previous positions.

The two men will share responsibility for the budget, community relations, and strategic planning. Pitchford will oversee human resources, infrastructure, and other areas, while Ryle will take on development, finance, and other departments.

Board Chair Scott Willoughby stated, "As Project Open Hand continues to evolve with a renewed emphasis on wellness and nutrition, Mark and Simon have the expertise to take the organization to that new level."

Simon joined POH after spending 25 years in the research and biotech industry. Ryle spent 20 years in corporate finance, and he's worked in social work.

Stokes said the nonprofit needs two CEO's because Pitchford and Ryle's "joint leadership will benefit POH far more than one of them alone. Mark and Simon have worked together for almost 18 months on our leadership team, drawing on their individual and collaborative strengths to serve our organization and community. As co-CEOs, they will continue to complement each other's work, each taking on responsibility for their areas of expertise, while leveraging their collective energies and skills to raise Project Open Hand's work to a new level."

The co-CEO model has "worked well" at other nonprofits, she said.