For Marianne Crosley, stepping down as president and CEO of the Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC) this month is a bittersweet moment.
“I have often said that I have the greatest job in Cleveland, but it is time,” says Crosley. “When you are in the civic realm, you have to be keenly aware of your shelf life, and we all have an expiration date. You have to know when to transition and let someone else take the leadership. This is my time.”
Earlier this year, the CLC Board of Directors announced that Rebecca “Becky” Ruppert McMahon will step into the role as the organization’s new CEO this month, following a rigorous executive search. McMahon leads the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA). Crosley will remain with CLC as a senior advisor to ensure a smooth transition.
During her 14-year tenure, Crosley grew the CLC significantly, growing the organization to serve almost 2,000 leaders annually through its many offerings and the launch of its Endowment Fund. Through her leadership and guidance, CLC’s flagship programs including Leadership Cleveland, Cleveland Bridge Builders, Campus Cleveland and Look Up to Cleveland have seen expanded impact on our region.
“Marianne’s innovative leadership has reached across multiple generations to expand the impact of CLC and its alumni within the community,” says Bill Caster, CLC board chair and president of Gries Financial Partners. “Under her guidance, CLC has become known as a place where leaders are inspired to drive change and where civic entrepreneurs are welcomed to launch their ideas to improve the community. She has built numerous collaborative partnerships — and did so as a humble, unselfish leader determined to drive impact across Northeast Ohio.”
Crosley introduced a series of new programs, including OnBoard Cleveland, Advanced Leadership Institute and Legacy Leaders. In addition, she launched two annual events — the Spark: Grit to Great leadership conference and the Accelerate: Citizens Make Change civic pitch competition. Accelerate has become a region-wide event that fosters creative growth and supports emerging social entrepreneurs who have ideas to make a difference in Cleveland.
“We just celebrated our 10th anniversary of Accelerate,” says Crosley. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see people from all segments of the community, from children through seniors, from people who are pretty anonymous to people who are well known, to come in and pitch their ideas. And then to watch their ideas come to life and become reality — it’s one of my greatest contributions.”
“Although we are sad to see Marianne leave, we are excited to welcome Becky to our organization,” says Caster of the recent transition. “Becky’s success as a dynamic leader running a large, highly respected organization, in addition to her track record and belief in the importance of forming a community of trust with staff and other stakeholders, position her as the ideal candidate to advance CLC into the future.”
In addition to her decade of leadership at Ohio’s preeminent legal association and the CMBA Foundation, McMahon has held leadership positions in banking and higher education. Her civic involvement has included extensive board service for First Federal Lakewood, the Rainbow Babies and Children Foundation, Lake Ridge Academy and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
During her tenure at CMBA, McMahon led the development and implementation of comprehensive strategic plans for both the association and its foundation, which elevated both organizations’ visibility and impact across Northeast Ohio and beyond. She was a member of CLC’s Cleveland Bridge Builders class of 2008 and Leadership Cleveland class of 2018.
“During my years at the Leadership Center, I had the opportunity to meet and work alongside so many inspiring community leaders and challenge them to drive positive change in Northeast Ohio,” says Crosley. “With events like the Accelerate civic pitch competition, I am proud to see the impact that we’ve had on our region’s development. I am grateful for the time I’ve spent with CLC and look forward to seeing the organization continue to grow under Becky’s leadership.”
