Sherman Phoenix Foundation Searching For Executive Director

The Sherman Phoenix Foundation, an offshoot of the marketplace, launched its search for an executive director and announced its first board of directors.

The future executive director will be expected to continue Sherman Phoenix’s focus on being an inclusive community space, encouraging entrepreneurship and helping create jobs for community members to gain valuable work experience. In addition, they will work to support the mission of the nonprofit organization. 

The Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., opened in 2018. The foundation was announced in June 2021.

“We’d like to identify a passionate leader to build on the legacy of the Sherman Phoenix,” said JoAnne Sabir, co-developer and co-owner of Sherman Phoenix. “Our ideal Sherman Phoenix Foundation executive director will provide leadership, manage daily operations and build community relationships that drive positive results as we seek to support economic equity and empowerment, strategic investment and training, entrepreneurial success and emotional wellness for leaders of color.” 

The search will be led by Goodwill TalentBridge in partnership with the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources. Goodwill will host on-site recruitment events to connect people seeking employment to local employers across a wide range of industries.

Interested applicants can find more information and apply at Goodwill TalentBridge’s website.

The Sherman Phoenix Foundation also recently announced its board of directors.

“The Sherman Phoenix Foundation has been blessed with a diverse group of leaders – primarily couples – joining the Board of Directors. The curation of the founding board in this way was intentional, meant to reflect the loving and lived-in community spaces at Sherman Phoenix that feel like family and are essential to the mission of the Foundation,” said Sabir, whose husband is also on the board. 

“To see so many passionate leaders coming together to help shape the future of the Sherman Phoenix is incredibly inspiring,” said Ron Adams, board chair of the Sherman Phoenix Foundation and vice president of Field Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern Mutual. “The Sherman Phoenix Foundation was created to support and serve the Sherman Park neighborhood and finding the right executive director is essential for us to advance our work in a meaningful way.” 

Directors on the Sherman Phoenix Foundation Board include: 

• Angela Adams, Goodwill Industries 
• Kenge Adams, Connect Business Consulting 
• Reggie Adams, MD, Ascension
• Ron Adams, Northwestern Mutual 
• Danielle Bly, We Energies 
• Ramel Bly, State of Wisconsin, Department of Corrections 
• Jocelyn Burks, Entrepreneur
• Oren Burks, Green Bay Packers
• Anthony Cobb, Gap Inc. 
• John Frost, Milwaukee Fire Department 
• Kaycee Frost, Milwaukee Public Schools & Frost Reality 
• Leana Nakielski, American Family Insurance 
• JoAnne Sabir, Sherman Phoenix 
• Maanaan Sabir, Shindig 
• Adija Smith, Confectionately Yours