Chairman of the Board
International businessman and philanthropist Ronald S. Lauder (New York, NY) combines a deep commitment to his heritage with an innovative network of business enterprises through philanthropic and professional endeavors that reach around the world. A former U.S. Ambassador to Austria, in 1987 he established The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, which focuses on Jewish education and community outreach programs. After a successful 10-year tenure as President of JNF, Ronald became Chairman of the Board. Under his leadership, JNF gained a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and earned the Better Business Bureau seal of approval. He established a board that meets monthly and helped JNF’s donor base grow to more than 600,000 nationwide. A recipient of the Tree of Life™ award, a Negev Society and World Chairman’s Council member, he branded JNF as a world leader in water conservation and put Blueprint Negev on the map. In June 2007, Ronald was elected to lead the World Jewish Congress.
