The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Diocese of Cleveland Board of Directors announced that Gary Sole is the new chief executive officer of the organization, effective Aug. 10.
Sole joined SVDP’s staff in 2019 as chief operating officer. In that position, he served as a liaison to the 59 member parish groups. He was selected for the CEO position after a subcommittee of the board conducted an extensive search. Sole will lead the SVDP central office in supporting the organization’s 2,300-plus members and volunteers who provide emergency assistance to nearly 200,000 low-income individuals annually across the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland service area.
As CEO, Sole will continue to focus on supporting, retaining and expanding the parish member groups, in addition to strengthening relationships with current community stakeholders and cultivating new partnerships, according to Ed Leszynski, board president.
“In addition to his financial acumen, Gary has a deep personal commitment to the society’s mission, which was especially evident during the pandemic,” Leszynski said. “Since the onset of the health crisis, Gary’s leadership was critical at our hunger centers as he worked closely alongside volunteers and staff to make certain that we continued to safely feed neighbors in need. He exemplifies Pope Francis’ call to ‘bring the healing power of God’s grace to everyone in need, to stay close to the marginalized and to be shepherds living with the smell of the sheep.’”
Sole said in his role as CEO, he would work closely with the society’s parish group members to foster more collaboration and the exchange of ideas, especially in regard to systemic change. “I look forward to partnering with our board of directors and our volunteers to expand upon programs that empower people in need so they have the tools necessary to improve their quality of life,” he said.
Sole had a 30-year career as a financial services executive, including two decades at National City Bank, before joining SVDP. He also served in executive roles at several other institutions, including Lakeshore Community Credit Union, Inc., Steel Valley Credit Union and CIT Group Inc. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University.
Sole is a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society group at St. Ladislas Parish in Westlake. He and his wife, Kristine, have a daughter, Alexis. They live in Westlake.