Executives In Action

Our History

In November 2008, Ashlee and Chris Kleinert met with Pam Gerber, the Executive Director of Entrepreneurs For North Texas (EFNT), to share their concerns over the growing unemployment crisis, in addition to the spike in requests for assistance from local nonprofits. In particular, they were concerned about the number of senior-level executives who were unable to find work after many months in transition. They sought her advice over how to engage these executives in working with the large number of nonprofits who were facing a decrease in funding as the need for their services in the community was skyrocketing.

A short time later, Jeremy Gregg, Vice President of Development for the Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM), contacted Ms. Gerber to ask for her help in recruiting highly-skilled volunteers for an important initiative that CNM was leading called the North Texas Community Wealth Collaborative. Mr. Gregg was interested in business leaders who could bring advanced skills to nonprofits that were launching for-profit businesses, or social enterprises.

Recognizing the opportunity, Ms. Gerber introduced Mr. Gregg to the Kleinerts. Together, the four of them developed the concept for EIA, which was launched in January 2009 as a partnership between EFNT and CNM. Having no shortage of talented senior executives, EIA sent a single email to just over 400 nonprofit members of CNM. Over 100 nonprofits applied for projects within a 48 hour period, demonstrating the remarkable demand in the marketplace for the program.

Initially funded through a seed grant from the Ashlee & Chris Kleinert Family Fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas, EIA was embedded within CNM as an extension of its consulting program. Under the leadership of Mr. Gregg, EIA successfully placed its first executive at a nonprofit organization on February 17, 2009, the date now recognized as the organization's anniversary. With an infusion of additional capital committed by Mr. and Ms. Kleinert, EIA continued as a program of CNM for the next six months. During this time, the program launched over 40 pro bono consulting projects at 30+ different nonprofit organizations.

In order to maximize the program's potential to address the growing unemployment crisis, its leaders decided to spin EIA off as its own non-profit organization. Executives in Action was incorporated as a Texas nonprofit corporation on July 31, 2009 and formally separated from CNM on August 10, 2009. Initially launched as a component fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas, the organization has now been recognized as its own 501(c)(3) public charity. Download a copy of the organization's determination letter here.

To learn more about the organization, click here.