CLEVELAND, Sept. 21 -- The board of trustees of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland has unanimously elected Johnathan M. Holifield, 43, as the next president and chief executive officer for the 90 year-old Urban League affiliate. He takes the helm by December 1, succeeding Myron F. Robinson, who is retiring after 38 years with the Urban League, including the last 17 in Cleveland. Robinson will serve as a senior advisor and remain interim CEO until Holifield's arrival.

Johnathan Holifield has a diverse background that includes more than 20 years of professional and management experience in the areas of economic growth and empowerment, entrepreneurial resource development and strategic planning with various civic and community organizations. We believe his unique combination of executive leadership experience, positions him as the best candidate to lead the Urban League of Greater Cleveland's empowerment agenda," said Tracy Oliver, succession planning committee co-chairman. Most recently, Holifield served as the president and CEO of the Buffalo Olmstead Parks Conservancy in New York. Prior to joining the Conservancy, he was executive vice president to Council for World-Class Communities in Benton Harbor, Michigan, a nonprofit community development organization. He was also founding executive director of CincyTechUSA and vice president of the Cincinnati USA Chamber of Commerce, where he led regional technology-based economic development projects, programs and initiatives.

Holifield was a civil litigation attorney with the Manley, Burke & Lipton firm in Cincinnati, and an assistant civil prosecutor with the Hamilton County, Ohio Prosecuting Attorney's Office. He also was a member of the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals.

A leader in civic affairs, he co-founded Build Cincinnati, a bipartisan coalition of advocates who won voter passage of the most significant local government reform in more than 75 years. He also drafted and won passage of Ohio's first "hospitable workplace" municipal ordinance, led the development of one of America's largest private sector asset-building programs -- making it possible for more than 300 families to purchase homes, generating and economic impact of more than $25 million-and led establishment of a $100,000 scholarship fund.

"It is personally humbling and professionally exciting to join this flagship affiliate of the powerful Urban League movement, with responsibility to build on the legacy of success achieved under the exceptional leadership of Myron Robinson," said Holifield. "My wife and I look forward to growing deep roots in Greater Cleveland and to working with the Board of Directors, staff and government, education, not-for-profit and corporate partners throughout the community to successfully realize the Urban League's empowerment agenda," he added.

Holifield is a graduate of West Virginia University, with a B.A. in Political Science. He earned his Masters degree in Education and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati, and is a graduate and current executive board member of The University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute, the only multi-year, professional economic development training program of its type in the United States.

He holds membership with Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity - The Boulé, and is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, NAACP, University of Cincinnati Alumni Association and West Virginia University Alumni Association. Holifield, and his wife, Antoinette, have been married for eight years.

Dave Janus, Urban League board chairman, applauded the efforts of outgoing president and CEO, Myron Robinson, and hailed Holifield as a dynamic successor to move the League forward.

"Myron Robinson has served the Urban League of Greater Cleveland with distinction. He has also been an energetic community leader, who has created valuable partnerships and enhanced the effectiveness and visibility of the Urban League to the betterment of northeast Ohio," Janus said. "We are indebted to Myron for his strategic leadership, in the midst of a tough economic climate, for leading the organization into the development of innovative programs and services to meet current economic needs. We believe Johnathan Holifield is a worthy successor to move the organization forward, and he will continue reinvigorate the League's impact in this community."

The mission of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland is to enable African-Americans and other minority members to develop and exercise their potential on par with all other Americans through research, advocacy and provision of services.