Pam Zaltsman has been a professional in and then leading the JFNA financial services operation. She has been the most loyal of professionals since she joined the United Jewish Appeal and UIA accounting staff in the 1990's. While her professional roles expanded over the decades, her loyalty did not. She always acted consistent with her professional responsibilities; loyal to a fault. She was an important support professional to Lee Twersky, the ultimate non-profit CFO. As Pam matriculated up the field of UJA's and then JFNA's organizational tree, Pam was careful to be always supportive of those in power. And, within JFNA she was a trusted resource.
So it came as a surprise to me to read of her "lateral move" from CFO to something called Senior Advisor to Israel and Overseas -- it's not clear from the turgid paragraph in the JFNA Release whether Pam has retired or continues in a reduced role or something else. But she will be "coordinating and supporting Federations in the fiscal operations involved in this important area of our work" whatever that means.
Add another body to those who work under Becky Caspi. This time, Pam Zaltsman, whose brief job description sounds like one given a Chicago Alderman as a ghost payroller. (I can only speculate that as financial support for the communities' overseas work continues to crater to new lows annually, the I & O staff will soon make its allocation payments in packets of $100 bills. Give 'em something to do.)
We wish the new CFO great success. I continue to hope that someday JFNA will undertake the forensic audit of the entire I & O operation that has been overdue for over a decade.
The waste.
Rwexler
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4 comments:
Yes, Pam. Hang in there.
I imagine that if she had a choice she would never agree to report to Becky Caspi or to be a part of the Global Operations fiasco. It is probably a temporary landing spot before getting booted out entirely (Remember David Mallach?).
The only way that this could be real would be if Pam was not a serious person that provided a "threat" to Caspi. Since Pam is a serious person and a talented professional, there is no way that she will last very long in this new assignment.
And so, another worthy professional bites the dust while those that should be long gone continue to run the show (into the ground).
The CEO's continued failure to clean house at I & O negates everything positive he accomplishes on this side of the Atlantic.
Pam, besides being a spectacular professional, always headed up the financials of UIA. Both under Lee Twersky and Sam Astrof.
The financials of UIA are complex. Loans, Amigur, rent, sales, federal grant, Jewish Agency budget.
They would all be lost without Pam.
I suspect that that’s why Pam is sticking around.
Pam is and always was a consummate professional. She knew how to get along with all emperors, naked or clothed. For the most part she kept her judgements to herself and only a few trusted friends.
She is spectacular and JFNA was lucky to have her.
Of course they need Pam and of course that is why they are keeping her for now.
Putting her under Caspi means that they can control her and use her talents for as long as she is useful to them.
But even a loyal professional such as Pam will have a difficult time maintaining loyalty under someone like Becky Caspi, so good luck Pam.
Hang in there!
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