As we visit in the majestic Ames Family Atrium, soaring centerpiece of the Cleveland Museum of Art, August A. Napoli — who, for the past six years, served as the museum’s deputy director and chief advancement officer — reflects on his surroundings, his life of service and his latest challenge as president and CEO of United Way of Greater Cleveland.
Just a few weeks earlier, we visited in the same place, but his thoughts at that time were laser-focused on the art museum’s centennial, the importance of art to the spirit and his creative vision for the collaborative future of Cleveland’s cultural institutions. Now, as the newly appointed leader of our town’s preeminent social-services organization, the longtime crusader for corporate largesse is deftly connecting the dots of his multi-faceted passions under the rubric of philanthropy.
“Philanthropy is a joyous thing,” he says. “The more you do, the more you want to do. Every human being has the capacity to live a philanthropic life. No one can deny that. It’s part of the human condition. It sets us apart from other animals.”
Napoli embodies the ideal. The 64-year-old New Kensington, Pennsylvania, native has spent four decades in top fundraising positions for such Northern Ohio nonprofit behemoths as Catholic Charities, Cleveland Clinic, Summa Foundation, Baldwin Wallace College (now University) and Cleveland State University.
“In the quest to serve, more is better,” he says, explaining his relentless pursuit of new ways to improve the world — and the human condition — around him.
“Here I am sitting with you during the centennial of this great institution,” he says, waving his hand over our expansive setting. “The constant is access [to art] for the benefit of all people forever. Forever! That’s a long time.”
The cradle Catholic — who adopted his wife’s Jewish faith in part so he could pass the Torah to his son, Gabriel, at his bar mitzvah — began his career path in Cleveland shortly after his graduation from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 1974. “I came here for work,” he says, “and I discovered that there was something going on here.”
Early influences included now-deceased leaders Herbert Strawbridge of the Higbee Co., Ralph Besse of the Illuminating Co. and Congressman Louis Stokes.
Napoli — who shares his civic impulses with his wife, Joan Katz Napoli, director of education and community programs for the Cleveland Orchestra — says he looks forward to helping Clevelanders better understand the mission and role of United Way. He says that the organization’s theme, “Live United,” resonates with him and is a clear call for all of us to build and sustain community.
“We all need to be reminded to live united — to live in a way that helps our fellow human beings,” he says. “That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.”
Napoli expounded on United Way’s mission, his philosophy and his career — past and present — in our conversation for Community Leader.
Q&A
Q: When I first met you 20 years ago, you were at the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland crusading for social services. At United Way, are you coming full circle?
All my past experiences — Catholic Charities, in particular — have prepared me for this role. We are talking basic needs here. Not just hunger, not just homelessness. Those are important, and they are very real needs. But we are talking about everyone who is disadvantaged in one way or another. Alcoholism, care for the frail and elderly, education — these are all hugely important basic needs.
We need to demystify the meaning of social services. I aim to demystify it.
Q: Baldwin Wallace, Cleveland State, the Catholic Diocese, Summa Foundation, Cleveland Clinic, the Museum of Art and now United Way. What’s the common thread?
The way I like to describe it is that, in higher education, I worked in support of the mind; the soul, through my work with the Church; the body, through health care; and in arts and culture I have worked in support of the spirit. I hope that I’ve been a champion for others to create an environment of compassion and tolerance.
United Way has a huge opportunity to bring people together. We are called to support them. It’s not about us. It’s about the people we serve and the people who support the people we serve.
Q: Where does your drive for nonprofit causes come from?
My parents were children of immigrants. My father didn’t graduate from high school but became a successful businessman through hard work, determination and with my mother at his side. They were taught in their homes, and they taught us in our home: “Do unto others.” It’s kind of a lifestyle.
Q: Other influences?
I grew up in the ’60s and the world was changing. We lost a lot of confidence in our leaders. Some people let the times immobilize them. I felt like taking action. Running things and managing things and growing things were part of my DNA. One thing led to another, and I continued to feel fulfilled by that.
I saw what people were doing — people like Herb Strawbridge and Ralph Besse. They were devoting their energy and resources to projects and organizations that were important to the growth and vitality of our city, and Lou Stokes was working tirelessly in Washington and Cleveland on behalf of everyone in our community and the region. They were all important influences in my life. I saw how the act of giving and engagement changed lives.
Q: I’ve never heard anyone speak about art as a vital human need with the passion and intensity that you do. Why would you leave such beautiful surroundings [at the Museum of Art] to take on a different challenge — including working on issues that are not, let’s face it, very pretty?
It is an opportunity and a blessing and a responsibility.
Q: Can you find similarities between your work at the art museum and United Way?
A museum is a fulcrum of tolerance and understanding. You are going to learn a lot about the world in which you live by having free and ready access to this encyclopedic collection of art spanning all of humankind. But equally important is to understand that art and culture are not just nice things to surround ourselves with but rather they are necessary in defining our humanity.
Q: Is there a spiritual dimension to your devotion to making things better?
I was born and raised Catholic. Like a lot of Catholic boys, I thought perhaps I had a calling to the priesthood. Part of what attracted me to that life was the clear and blatant spirituality in the call to serve.
As my life progressed, I didn’t go that way, but when my wife and I chose to have children, one way or another we felt the values and value systems [of faith] represented a dimension that would be important to our family. That just made sense to us.
If you live in a faith-based environment, it’s like what we say about the Cavs: You have to be all in. It’s not an abstraction. It’s the real deal.
Would I call that spiritual? It certainly has parallels to that. It’s like the decision to run a business with principles that mirror your beliefs.
Q: What is the most important item on your wish list for United Way?
My greatest wish for United Way is to achieve a greater understanding [among the public] of how important this organization is to the social fabric of this community. We don’t make the soup in the hunger center. We provide the resources and the ability and the integrity to make that happen.
Q: When you leave United Way someday — not for many years, we hope — what do you want people to remember about what you did there?
I hope to bring about a deeper understanding of who we are. We have adopted the theme “Live United.” I want to amplify success, improve impact and outcomes and do good work.
Q: What would you like people to understand about United Way and the problems confronting our community that perhaps they don’t quite “get” right now?
We help the homeless, the hungry children, of course. But there’s so much more. I would say that easily 10 percent or more of the people surrounding us right here or someone they know, right now, in this magnificent museum have had to avail themselves at one time or another to the services of United Way. That is a call to action to me.
I may need those services sometime. You may need those services. So if I can help, if I have the ability to contribute, I should, we should.
Q: Why should corporate leaders support United Way?
Because they are leaders. And with that leadership position comes a responsibility. If your life is enriched, you are going to live a joyous life. You are going to live in a united way.
Q: Describe what kind of boss you are.
I am pretty high energy
and high octane. I don’t ask anybody to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. I need to be clear in articulating a clear and compelling vision, not just a capricious thought. I have very high expectations of myself and I have the same for the people I work with.
Work should be joyous. It should be happy. If I can’t get that same passion and buy-in from others, I will fail. I can’t do it all by myself. I am United Way’s CEO but I am also its biggest cheerleader.
Q: At one time, at least, you apparently had political impulses. You served on the Highland Heights City Council. What caused you to go the nonprofit route instead of aspiring to higher public office and making a difference that way?
I did consider politics briefly but I think you can get a lot more accomplished outside of political office and through these nonprofit organizations instead. I will say, though, that if anyone thinks the business of government is being done in Columbus and Washington, they’re wrong. It happens locally in our communities all over America every day, in city councils where streets are getting paved and people are really being served.
Q: You were born near Pittsburgh yet you call yourself a “100 percent Clevelander.” How did that happen?
I’m a real Clevelander
because I believe in this community. How could you not? This is the community that gave birth to things like United Way.
Q: You were quite the swinger as a celebrity dancer for a GroundWorks DanceTheater benefit earlier this year. Where did you get those moves?
It’s a blessing, Rich. What can I say?