Eric Harrison. Courtesy image
CAMARILLO — Eric Harrison joins the United Way of Ventura County as the new president & chief executive officer effective Dec. 1, the organization reported this week in a media release.
Harrison was selected to lead the organization by the United Way CEO Search Selection Committee and the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors after a nationwide search.
United Way Board Chair Tom Cohen said he is excited about the future of the United Way of Ventura County with the selection of Harrison.
“In Eric, we are confident we have found a visionary new leader. Eric brings a strong background in resource development, has great communication and leadership skills and grew up in the United Way family,” Cohen said. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, we welcome Eric and will give him all the support he needs to be successful.”
Harrison succeeds David M. Smith who is retiring after 13 years at the helm.
Harrison’s responsibilities will include driving the Community Impact strategy for the organization, leveraging personal and professional contacts and relationships into fundraising opportunities, serving as the principle resource for strategic management as well as organizational management, and promoting community leadership.
“For 70 years, United Way has been serving the residents of Ventura County and we have a tremendous opportunity to build on that legacy as we focus on priority issues and sustained outcomes,” Harrison said. “It’s an honor to have the confidence of the board of directors to take us to our next chapter and I’m excited to be a part of this welcoming community.”
Harrison most recently served as Executive Director of Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing in Hollywood – the nation’s first affordable housing complex for LGBT seniors – in addition to Director of Development for Equality California – the state’s largest LGBT advocacy organization.
In 2009, Harrison was named by the North Bay Business Journal as one of the publication’s top “Forty under 40”remarkable professionals while serving as Vice President of Resource Development at United Way of the Wine Country. Harrison’s initiative-focused fundraising model enabled the organization to achieve a record-breaking fundraising year in a down economy and launched 2-1-1 Sonoma County.
Harrison was additionally responsible for fund development of 2-1-1 Santa Clara County while serving at United Way of Silicon Valley and was named a 2005 Emerging Leader and 2006 Resident Fellow by United Way Worldwide. United Way of Ventura County will be Harrison’s fifth United Way of service having started at Greater Twin Cities United Way as an intern back in 2002. He has also served as an education volunteer/teacher trainer for the Peace Corps in Madagascar.
Harrison holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and theatre arts from Concordia College and an MBA from the Minnesota School of Business.