United Way of Greater Toledo to announce new CEO

Karen Mathison has been named director for United Way of Greater Toledo. She previously was president of United Way of Olmsted County.

The United Way of Greater Toledo's new CEO is a Minnesotan with strong worldwide agency connections.

Karen Mathison, currently the president of the United Way of Olmsted County in Minnesota, said she was enroute to Toledo today. She will be announced as the Toledo agency's new director during a Thursday morning news conference.

She is expected to begin in Toledo on Jan. 7.

Ms. Mathison replaces former United Way director, Bill Kitson, who stepped down on June 1, 2012 so he could take a similar position at the Cleveland United Way. Jane Moore, the Toledo organization's executive president, has been serving as interim director.

According to biographical information, Ms. Mathison has served as president of the Olmsted agency since 2002.

She currently serves as co-chair of United Way Worldwide's Health Advisory Council. Since 2011 she has served as a member of the United Way Worldwide's Partnership Committee to create collective strategies for local United Ways to work across the United Way in solving pressing issues in education, income, and health.

Ms. Mathison is an appointed member of the National Professional Council of United Way Worldwide, a position she has held since 2006. She is on the United Ways of Minnesota board of directors and is a former chair of the United Ways of Minnesota Association.

She is also a 2010 graduate of the United Way Worldwide Advanced Leadership Program.

Ms. Mathison is involved in various organizations, include a member of the Greater Rochester Rotary, the Rochester Area Workforce 2020 Coalition, and the Rochester Public School Foundation board of directors. She has also served on the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

The United Way of Greater Toledo in September kicked off its annual fund-raising campaign and hopes to raise $13.8 million - the same goal they had for last year's effort - which raised $13.6 million.

United Way's yearly campaign raises money to aid programs and nonprofit organizations aimed at improving education, income, and health, with an emphasis on graduating high school youth.

Contact Federico Martinez at: fmartinez@theblade.com or 419-724-6154.