Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Names Fred Glass as New President and CEO

After a 6-month search, the Board of Directors announced yesterday the selection of Fred Glass as the new President & CEO for Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. He will succeed John Elliott upon his retirement on September 30.

“The interest in this incredibly important leadership position was tremendous,” said Chad Mayer, Gleaners’ Board Chair. “The significant response from over 100 qualified applicants is evidence of how important Gleaners Food Bank is to Indiana and across the national food bank network.”

Glass is a graduate of Indiana University and its McKinney School of Law. He brings a wealth of experience to Gleaners, including stints as Chief of Staff to former Governor Evan Bayh, President of the Capital Improvement Board and his leadership of the 2011 Super Bowl Bid Committee that laid the foundation for the 2012 Super Bowl coming to Indianapolis. He served as the Indiana University Athletic Director from 2009-2020, returning to private legal practice at Taft Law in 2020.

“I am grateful and honored for this tremendous opportunity to lead Gleaners as we work together to lead the fight against hunger,” Glass said. “Feeding the hungry is one of the most fundamental and impactful actions we can take as good neighbors and responsible citizens, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Gleaners team to be a part of doing just that. My dad modeled feeding the hungry for me at his skid row bar when I was a kid. Entering this new chapter feels like I’m coming full circle.”

Robert J. Hicks, Taft Chairman and Managing Partner, expressed his support, saying, “Fred is a tremendous talent and the ideal leader to take on the challenge of food scarcity in Central Indiana. He has been a great asset and contributor at Taft, and we will miss him. I am confident that Fred’s creativity, resolve, and work ethic will take Gleaners Food Bank to the next level in meeting the community’s needs.”

Mayer noted that the leadership team currently in place was a consideration for the committee. “The Board recognizes that Gleaners has a strong leadership team, dedicated employees, and an amazing network of organizations that have supported our Neighbors. This appointment of Fred as the 4th CEO builds on the strength of the organization and brings another, talented leader into our fight against hunger and food insecurity.”

Melissa Hill, Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer stated that the leadership team is excited to work with Glass. “I think our entire team, from leadership throughout all areas of the organization, will be thrilled to have a leader of Fred’s caliber step into this role. Over John’s tenure, we’ve built a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork within the organization. I think Fred’s focus on values-based leadership will help us achieve an even greater culture – one of excellence – at Gleaners and in the communities we serve.”

Glass will be just the fourth President & CEO in Gleaners 42-year history. The organization was founded by Pam Altmeyer. She was succeeded by Cynthia Hubert in 2010. John Elliott took over the helm in 2016 after serving on Gleaners’ Board for 4 years.

Glass was unanimously recommended by the search committee and confirmed by the full Board. He will begin full-time work at Gleaners on September 1st, allowing for transition between he and Elliott.

Gleaners was founded in 1980 and is a respected leader within Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. Since that time, Gleaners has distributed more than 700 million pounds of food and critical grocery products through nearly 250 hunger relief agencies, schools and community partners serving needy Hoosiers. In addition to food distribution to agencies, we serve our most vulnerable populations, seniors and children, through specialty programs such as Gleaners2Go, Home Delivery, School-Based Pantries, Mobile Pantries, Summer Meals for Kids, and Senior Hunger Initiative programs. Charity Navigator has recognized Gleaners as a 4-Star organization, the highest rating for charity demonstrating fiscal management and accountability. In addition, Gleaners is an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau and has earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. To learn more, visit www.gleaners.org.