Business

`Business Acumen,
Jewish Heart'

Jewish Vocational Service chief earns two major executive honors.

ALAN ABRAMS
Special to the Jewish News

Nurenberg was named president and CEO of JVS in
1992. Three years later, JVS became the largest non-
profit vocational service agency in Michigan. During
hese awards are not about herself — they're
her watch, JVS has evolved from a vocational-training
about an organization. So says Jewish
organization to a full-service human services agency,
Vocational Service (JVS) president and
with a corresponding increase in budget from $7 mil-
CEO Barbara Nurenberg when asked about
lion to nearly $19 million.
the two prestigious honors she recently won.
Nurenberg strongly believes her dual recognition is a
Nurenberg was named "United Way Executive of the
tribute to JVS.
Year" by United Way Community Services in Detroit,
"You have to recognize that there is no one individual
and was the recipient of a "Nonprofit Leadership
who makes things happen. An individual who gets rec-
Award" and scholarship from the Harvard Business
ognized, and in this case it is me, can only do so with
School Club of Detroit.
the support of a board that shares your vision, as well as
The scholarship provided funding for Nurenberg to
with the support of your staff. It is really a team that
attend the Executive Education Program at Harvard in
should be recognized. It is a team that constitutes JVS,
July, where she studied strategic perspectives in non-
not Barbara Nurenberg," she said.
profit management.
While she admitted she is "flattered" by receiving the
"Barbara Nurenberg is truly unique in our communi-
dual awards, Nurenberg insisted she is "being recog-
ty," said JVS Board Chairman Dennis Bernard of the
nized for what the organization has contributed to the
Bernard Financial Group in Southfield.
community. That's what makes me feel very proud
"She has that special combination of business acu-
about being recognized. It is not a personal pride. It is
men and Jewish heart that has made JVS immensely
an organizational pride."
successful as a large, full-service human services organi-
Nurenberg is active nationally with professional lead-
Barbara Nurenberg:
zation."
ership groups in the Jewish communal field and has
Nurenberg lives in Bloomfield Hills with her husband,
served as president of the Association of Jewish
"It is not a personal pride.
Donald, and their 15-year-old daughter, Leah, a sopho-
Vocational Service Professionals and a board member of
It is an organizational pride." the International Association of Jewish Vocational
more at Cranbrook Educational Community there. They
are members of Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park. She has
Services.
been with JVS for 31 years, starting with the Detroit-
She is a member of the professional advisory board of
based agency as a counselor in 1970.
Elwyn Israel, an Israeli agency dedicated to providing service to individuals with
The daughter of Lillian and Joseph Schwartz, she was born in Owosso — the
developmental disabilities.
Michigan hometown to both Thomas E. Dewey, the presidential candidate, and
She also plays an active role in NICHE, a national nonprofit board which
James Oliver Curwood, the novelist. When she was a teenager, her family
provides work and community integration for people with disabilities through
moved to Flint where her father worked in the building and real estate business.
developing government contracts.
Nurenberg received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wayne
JVS is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The agency, whose main office is in
State University in business administration and vocational rehabilitation coun-
the Rose and Sidney Diem Building in Southfield, operates six offices in the tri-
seling. She has done postgraduate work at the University of Michigan and the
county area, employing more than 400 people and serving 20,000 individuals
University of Judaism in Los Angeles.
annually.
The agency's latest addition is the opening of the Dorothy and Peter Brown
Jewish Community Adult Day Care Center in Southfield and West Bloomfield
Getting Started
to help older adults with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Nurenberg's first job was with the Archdiocese of Detroit as a vocational train-
Nurenberg said there is really is not a lot of difference between being presi-
ing specialist, counseling and preparing women inmates at the Detroit House of
dent
and CEO of a non-profit or of a corporation.
Correction for employment. She later taught typing, business skills and appro-
"It's still a business," she said. "We have stakeholders, not stockholders. But
priate work behaviors to juniors and seniors at Dominican High School in
we both develop strategic initiatives. And we have a product, which is people,
Detroit, and provided vocational counseling to disabled veterans at the Veterans
although theirs may be widgets."
Administration Hospital.

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