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Chuck Tildon 410.895.1501
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UNITED WAY ANNOUNCES TOP LEADERSHIP CHANGE
Furst named President effective December 1, 2009.

Baltimore, MD (November17, 2009) – Today, United Way of Central Maryland announced that Mark S. Furst will be appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective December 1, 2009.

Furst, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will assume the role presently held by Larry E. Walton.  

After more than 13 years of dedicated service and leadership, Walton will step down as President but will continue on staff at United Way as Senior Advisor and will work with Furst during the transition. Walton plans to retire on February 1, 2012.

“This succession plan has been in place for several years,” said Walton. “Recent developments with my family make this an excellent time for the transition and I welcome the opportunity to continue my work with the organization in this new role.”

Furst began his career with United Way in 2004 as Senior Vice President responsible for Fundraising, Marketing and Communications, and Support Services. He was promoted to EVP and COO in 2007, and his role expanded to include the Finance, IT and Donor Services functions. 

“Mark has the vision and energy that will help to make United Way even more successful,” said Kathy Sabatier, Chair of the United Way Board of Directors. “During his time here he has diversified our revenue in a very difficult fundraising environment, and he has implemented cost reduction measures that have saved the organization millions of dollars. I know that he will do an excellent job building on the legacy left by Larry Walton.”

Prior to joining United Way, Furst spent more than 25 years in the financial services industry. He held various senior management positions at First National Bank of Maryland, AllFirst Bank, where he was market president for the Greater Baltimore Region, and M&T Bank where he headed Treasury Management for the Mid-Atlantic Division.

“I am incredibly proud to have been associated with United Way as a donor, volunteer, and staff member over the years,” said Furst. “It is an honor to lead an organization that exists to improve the quality of life for so many people in need across central Maryland”


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About United Way of Central Maryland
For more than 80 years, United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) has been the region’s human service leader. Its mission is to improve people’s lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities. UWCM supports programs and initiatives in the city of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. UWCM is dedicated to education, income and health - making sure children get the early child care they need to succeed in school, that young adults graduate, that families have the means to access affordable and stable housing and that people are free from violence and abuse at home. By encouraging all people in central Maryland to give, advocate or volunteer, UWCM wants to show the power of living united. It’s about connecting people and creating communities. For more information, visit www.uwcm.org or call 410.547.8000.