18 August 22 • 2019
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Detroit is on Board with ORT

Five Detroiters were recently elected to the national board of ORT America.

F

ive Detroiters were recently 
elected to the national board of 
ORT America at ORT’
s annual 
meeting in New York. The new ORT 
America leaders are: 
Jim August: A steadfast ORTist 
dedicated to achieving impact 
through education, new board of 
directors member Jim August has 
worked in the advertising agency 
business for 55 years, including as 
president of Stone August Inc. and as 
the principal of August & Associates 
LLC, a marketing and communica-
tions consultancy. His community 
service background includes several 
decades and a variety of positions 
held with the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit. He’
s served 
as president of Detroit Men’
s ORT, 
the Michigan Jewish Conference, 
the National Foundation for Jewish 
Culture and vice president of JTA. 
Dr. Conrad Giles: New Executive 
Committee member Dr. Conrad 
Giles was appointed president of 
World ORT in May 2016 after serv-
ing as vice president from 2013. 
Dedicated to strengthening Jewish 
communities worldwide, Giles has 
served in numerous leadership posi-
tions, including at the Jewish Council 
for Public Affairs, Federation, UJA, 
the Council of Jewish Federations, 
the Jewish Agency for Israel and the 
American Jewish Joint Distribution 
Committee. He was president of 
Detroit Men’
s ORT chapter from 
1978-1980. He was a vice presi-
dent of American ORT Federation 
from 1980-1983. He also served as 
a member of the initial Executive 
Committee of ORT American 
Foundation for three years. A pediat-
ric ophthalmologist, he is chief emer-
itus of ophthalmology at Children’
s 
Hospital of Michigan and clinical 
professor of ophthalmology at Wayne 
State University.
Bubba Urdan: New Executive 
Committee member Bubba Urdan 
has been involved with ORT for more 
than 20 years. He’
s a past president of 

ORT America Michigan Region (2011-
2014), past Rub-a-Dub event chair 
(2006, 2007, 2015) and current ORT 
Michigan sponsor chair (2015-pres-
ent). In 2016, he received ORT 
America’
s first National Leadership 
Award for leading the way with his 
innovative thinking, fierce dedication 
and buoyant spirit. In 2018, he joined 
the board of Women’
s American ORT 
Foundation. Urdan’
s late mother 
was a longtime member of Women’
s 
American ORT. Her involvement was 
an inspiration to him. 
He volunteers and sits on many 
boards and committees of Detroit 
Jewish organizations, including the 
Federation, JARC and the Holocaust 
Memorial Center. He is an alumnus 
of the National Young Leadership 
Cabinet of Jewish Federations of 
North America. He’
s also the 2019 
ORT Michigan Rub-a-Dub honoree 
and, on Aug. 20, he will receive the 

Hermelin ORT Legacy Award for his 
achievements. 
Andi Wolfe: New board of direc-
tors member Andi Wolfe has been 
involved with ORT since 1973. Since 
that time, she’
s played an integral 
role in helping to accelerate progress 
for ORT’
s schools. She’
s served as 
ORT’
s Michigan Region financial 
secretary and later became co-pres-
ident of the Michigan Region. She 
serves on the board of Hebrew Free 
Loan Society, is a transgeneration-
al member of the Jewish Women’
s 
Foundation and is a life member 
of Hadassah, National Council of 
Jewish Women and Adat Shalom 
Sisterhood. She’
s been involved 
in Israel Bonds for more than 35 
years; founded a women’
s group for 
the Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy 
Network in Michigan; and is a 
national board member of American 
Technion Society. 

Larry Wolfe: Newly elected board 
of directors member Larry Wolfe has 
been a pillar of the Detroit commu-
nity for many years. He serves on 
the board of trustees of World ORT. 
He’
s a board member of the Jewish 
Fund, Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy 
Network (Bloomfield/Detroit), 
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Partners in 
Torah, American Friends of Rambam 
Hospital, the Shabbat Project and the 
Michigan Israel Business Accelerator. 
He’
s a member of the board of trust-
ees of Kids Kicking Cancer and the 
Detroit Zoological Society, as well 
as past president of Adat Shalom 
Synagogue and the JCC. He’
s also 
the immediate past president of 
Federation and immediate past 
chair of the State of Israel Bonds for 
Metropolitan Detroit. ■

This story first appeared on 

myjewishdetroit.org.

jews d
in 
the

Current ORT America Board of Directors: Front row: Louanne Smolin, Saul Berkowitz, Suellen Kadis, Dr. Conrad Giles, Barbara Siegel, Morgan Newman, 

Jonathan Lanznar. Back row: Debbie Kanter, Larry Wolfe, Andi Wolfe, Bubba Urdan, Chairman of the Board, Howard Lanznar, Outgoing National President, 

Larry Kadis, Gail Lanznar, Sid Besmertnik. (Not pictured: Jim August).

COURTESY OF ORT

