“Everyone is someone’s Jimmy”
Honoring Dedication and Service: Dan Baldwin, Chair Emeritus
After twelve years of service on the CFH Board of Directors, Daniel Baldwin is retiring. An accomplished attorney, Dan first joined the Board in September 2012. He served as Chair from 2016 to 2019 and then as a member, participating in multiple committees, including the strategic planning committee that led the intensive effort of creating CFH’s most recent five-year plan.
Dan’s leadership was tested shortly after he became Chair, upon then-Executive Director Bobby Watts’ departure to guide the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. Dan efficiently led the efforts to hire an interim executive director and a permanent replacement—our current President & CEO George Nashak.
For Dan, homelessness has always been a personal issue. As he said in 2019:
“For many years, my younger brother Jimmy has existed on the margins, with no permanent home. His situation made me aware of the many hardships faced by people who are experiencing homelessness. His experiences spurred me to join CFH’s efforts to break down the daunting barriers to the achievement of a better life.”
Daniel Baldwin
When speaking as chair or a board member, Dan often made this observation, “Everyone is someone’s Jimmy.” But he credits his mother for this poignant reminder to recognize the humanity of all our neighbors struggling with homelessness.
In recognition of Dan’s years of service and dedication, the CFH Board of Directors bestowed upon him the title of Chair Emeritus, the first ever for the organization. Everyone at CFH thanks Dan for his compassionate leadership and echo George Nashak’s wishes for a happy and restful retirement from board service.
Testimonials from CFH leadership
“Dan Baldwin was the first Care For the Homeless chair with whom I had the pleasure of working,” said CFH President & CEO George Nashak. “During the interview process with the Board, Dan demonstrated a deep knowledge of the work of CFH and a commitment to mission and integrity that impressed me greatly. These factors helped ease my decision to join this outstanding organization.”
“Dan was my first mentor at CFH and he has continued to be available with advice and counsel that has improved my decision-making and redirected me from mistakes he could see coming,” Nashak continued. “He is one of the smartest board directors I have worked with. He has been enormously supportive but has also challenged CFH and me to do better. He is a model volunteer director and CFH is a more effective organization due to his efforts. I wish him a happy, peaceful, and stimulating retirement filled with good health and joy.”
“We express our deepest gratitude for Dan Baldwin’s twelve years of distinguished service,” said CFH Board Chair Surjit Chana. “His mentorship has been a beacon of wisdom and integrity, profoundly shaping my approach as Chair. In honor of his lasting influence and exceptional dedication, we are delighted to award him the honorary title of ‘Chair Emeritus,’ a tribute to his enduring legacy within our organization.”
“Throughout his tenure as director, and especially during his service as Chair, I was fortunate to witness Dan’s commitment to ensuring that CFH was in the best position possible to serve its mission,” said CFH General Counsel Michael Ziegler. “He did this through a substantial commitment of time and energy, the application of his wit, and his leadership talent.”
“During his term as Chair, Dan was able to bring a Board, which was experiencing some divisiveness, together as a cohesive unit to support management in its efforts to best serve the clients of CFH,” Ziegler continued. “Moreover, shortly after assuming the role of Chair, Dan was placed in the unexpected position of leading a two-pronged effort regarding the senior management leadership of CFH. The unplanned departure of our then long-time Executive Director required him to lead an effort to identify an interim ED who, on a temporary basis, could lead the management team while the recruitment of a permanent ED took place. He led both those efforts successfully. With regard to the the latter effort, Dan formed a diverse committee to interview applicants and led that committee in the same manner as he led the Board: all committee members were given the opportunity to actively participate. Through his leadership, the effort concluded with the hiring of the current President & CEO, who has led a management team for the past five years through a period of significant growth and increased stability.”
