metro »

JCC Gets New Captain

Brian Siegel to build on Issner’s work
to stabilize the JCC.

Brian Siegel

Jackie Headapohl | Managing Editor

T

he Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield has a new leader
at the helm, Brian D. Siegel, who
was named CEO, replacing Jim Issner, who
had been serving as CEO since March 2014.
Siegel began serving as CEO on March 7.
“The timing is perfect
for the transition to Brian
Siegel and the valuable
skill set that he brings
to the JCC,” Issner said.
“With Brian at the helm,
the JCC is poised to con-
tinue its growth. Brian
brings the necessary
Jim Issner
knowledge and experi-
ence to take the JCC to the
next level and make the organization once
again the vibrant center of the Metro Detroit
Jewish community.”
Siegel, 52, has served in a number of
different capacities on the JCC’s Board of
Directors and on various committees, most
recently as board president. Siegel has also
been involved with the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit and received the Frank
A. Wetsman Leadership Award for his con-
tributions to the Metro Detroit Jewish com-
munity, among other honors.
He also is a partner in Star Trax and Local
Kitchen and Bar, both in Ferndale, and owns
Joe Dumars’ Fieldhouse Detroit. He says he is
not involved in day-to-day operations at any
of these businesses and will devote full-time
energy to the JCC job.
“It is a great honor to serve as the next

28 March 10 • 2016

earned revenue at the JCC through pro-
grams, memberships, JCC Day Camps
and the Child Development Center, so as
to create a surplus to fund improvements
throughout the agency.
A food services committee has been estab-
FACILITY FINANCES
lished and will review multiple proposals to
In December 2013, the community learned
operate in the space previously occupied by
the financial condition of the JCC had been
Jerusalem Pizza.
misrepresented and there had been negli-
In addition, the JCC recently renewed
gence, a lack of internal controls and a legacy leases with the Michigan Jewish Historical
debt of around $8 million. Issner, a turn-
Society and ZOA.
around specialist, was brought on board to
The available space at the JCC does not
put the JCC on firm financial footing.
currently allow the addition of major tenants
Among other initiatives to reduce debt,
at this time, Issner said, adding that there is
the JCC closed its Oak Park facility
“always interest in housing other
last year.
agencies or operations that benefit
According to Issner, the JCC debt is
the fabric-building of the Jewish
now under $2 million.
community.”
“Discussions are taking place across
No additional significant cost-
the community regarding funding
cutting measures are expected, he
sources to remove the remaining debt
added.
and create a working capital reserve
About 16 percent of the mem-
for the agency,” he said.
bers
of the former Oak Park JCC
Bret Hopman
According to Issner, the JCC
transferred their memberships to
received its historical allocation of about $1.6 the JCC in West Bloomfield, where member-
million from Federation last year, along with ship remains relatively stable, according to
an additional gift to help offset the cost of
Bret Hopman, director of marketing and
operating the Oak Park facility through its
communications.
closure on Aug. 31 of last year.
“We are undertaking efforts to expand our
“Our projection for this year as well as
membership definition so the community
next year is that the JCC will operate at a
sees the value of the JCC beyond the fitness
break-even or near break-even level, assum-
club or swimming pool,” Hopman said. “We
ing the same level of community and donor
have convened a membership committee to
support as in the past,” Issner added.
look at the various classes of membership
Efforts are under way to increase
and the services provided for each level of

chief executive officer of the JCC,” Siegel
said. “Jim’s accomplishments over the last
two years have been extraordinary; it is
my expectation that we will build upon his
efforts.”

membership.
“The JCC is so much more than a fitness
facility,” he added, “offering multitudes of
arts, culture and educational programming,
a first-class preschool and a wonderful sum-
mer day camp, servicing all age groups from
infants to seniors.”

THE JCC’S FUTURE
Issner said he feels confident that he and his
staff — with help from the Federation, JCC
members and the community — have come
a “very long way toward stabilizing the JCC
and providing the opportunity for the JCC to
operate in a fiscally responsible manner.
“We have internal controls in place and
Financial One Accounting Inc. has ensured
that we are correctly following GAAP for
nonprofits in all of our accounts. Our donors
can rest assured that their contributions are
being properly utilized,” he added.
Siegel said he is looking forward to pur-
suing these initiatives to establish the JCC
as the “fabric-building engine of the Metro
Detroit Jewish community”:
• Creating a multiphased plan for develop-
ment of the JCC Day Camps and pool areas;
• Doubling down on the JCC’s cultural
programming, including the Berman;
• Reinventing the membership structure;
• Attracting the most talented employees
to the organization.
“With the continuing support of our mem-
bers and community partners, I am confi-
dent we can stabilize the financial footing of
the agency in the near future,” Siegel said.

*

