JUNE 3 • 2021 | 13

OUR COMMUNITY

F

rom fall of 2019 to last month, 
the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit was with-
out an “official” CEO as Federation 
leaders conducted a national search. 
However, there was an “unofficial” 
captain at the helm, COO Steve Ingber, 
who navigated through the rough 
waters of the COVID pandemic to 
unify the response of Federation and 
other agencies to the needs of the 
Jewish community. 
Former Federation CEO Scott 
Kaufman was consulting with fed-
erations across the country during 
the pandemic. “I got to watch Steve 
go through a trial by fire,” he said. 
“Detroit performed extraordinarily 
well during the pandemic. He earned 
the role and came through battle-
tested.”
Federation leaders officially named 
Ingber the CEO last month. 
“Often, we look afar when right 
under our nose is the perfect person,” 

Penny 
Blumenstein

said Penny Blumenstein, 
who was on the CEO 
search committee. “He 
took over responsibilities 
very quietly and without 
any fanfare. People are 
willing to follow him. To 
me, that is the sign of lead-
ership.”
For Ingber, “This is the dream job I 
never knew I wanted.”
Ingber was born and raised in a 
Conservative home in Farmington 

Hills, where is parents still live. The 
youngest of three children, he attend-
ed public schools and then went to 
the University of Michigan, where 
he graduated with a business degree. 
After graduation, he started working 
for his grandfather, tearing apart cars. 
He then opened an automotive whole-
sale distribution business in Metro 
Detroit, which he ran for the better 
part of 10 years.
“I’ve had three jobs my entire life, 
and I loved them all. I loved being in 
the automotive world. I liked being 
the chief operating officer here. 
And, so far — it’s new — but 

JACKIE HEADAPOHL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL

JUNE 3 • 2021 | 13

Hills, where is parents still live. The 
youngest of three children, he attend-
ed public schools and then went to 
the University of Michigan, where 
he graduated with a business degree. 
After graduation, he started working 
for his grandfather, tearing apart cars. 
He then opened an automotive whole-
sale distribution business in Metro 
sale distribution business in Metro 
Detroit, which he ran for the better 
Detroit, which he ran for the better 
part of 10 years.
part of 10 years.

“I’ve had three jobs my entire life, 
“I’ve had three jobs my entire life, 

and I loved them all. I loved being in 
and I loved them all. I loved being in 
the automotive world. I liked being 
the automotive world. I liked being 
the chief operating officer here. 
the chief operating officer here. 
And, so far — it’s new — but 
And, so far — it’s new — but 

Battle-Tested, 
Board-Approved

New Federation CEO Steve Ingber earned the job.

continued on page 14

JOHN HARDWICK

