President & CEO

President & CEO

Mid-Ohio Food Collective

 

Grove City, OH (Greater Columbus)

Reports to: Board of Directors

 

Mission

 

A hunger-free and healthier community.

 

Vision

 

A hunger-free and healthier community. We want a future where no one worries about their next meal and where every neighborhood is healthy and strong.

 

Values

 

• We are customer centric. Customers are the heart of our mission. We connect with our customers through compassion because these individuals are our friends, family, and neighbors. We offer services that embrace the whole person and respect their experiences, hopes, and needs.

• We are innovative learners. Innovation is our expectation and aspiration. We believe continuous learning is essential to generating inspired solutions. We encourage inquisitive dialogue and invest in our individual and collective potential. Equipped with new knowledge, we engage in bold, purposeful efforts.

• We are trustworthy. We come from a place of trust, in ourselves and each other. We are vulnerable and honest with one another as we work through challenges. We nurture each other as we take risks and pursue opportunities.

• We are one team. We are one team empowered to end hunger. We value and respect each team member and actively appreciate their unique contributions. We intentionally create a collaborative environment to help us evolve together.

 

About Mid-Ohio Food Collective

 

Founded in 1980, Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) traces its roots to a conversation among community leaders who recognized the growing need to ensure no neighbor went hungry.

 

What began as Operation Feed Foodbank, with a staff of two and 51 partner agencies, has grown into one of Ohio’s most significant nonprofit organizations, serving central and eastern Ohio through an expansive network of partners, volunteers, healthcare providers, public agencies, and community organizations. In 2026, MOFC celebrates 46 years of service and impact.

 

Today, through its dedicated staff of 180 employees, MOFC serves communities across a 20-county footprint and partners with more than 600 agencies and programs to deliver food, nutrition, and supportive services to neighbors in need. The organization has evolved from a traditional food bank into a comprehensive collective dedicated to addressing both immediate food insecurity and the systemic conditions that contribute to hunger and poor health outcomes.

 

At the heart of MOFC’s success is its innovative five-asset model, which unites food access, health, agriculture, and community engagement into a single, integrated strategy to end hunger. These assets include:

 

• Mid-Ohio Foodbank: The largest component of the organization, the food bank serves as the logistical backbone of MOFC’s operations, sourcing, purchasing, storing, and distributing food across the region through a robust agency network.

• Mid-Ohio Farm: Through innovative urban agriculture initiatives, Mid-Ohio Farm produces fresh, nutritious food while educating future generations about sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and food systems.

• Mid-Ohio Farmacy: Recognized as a leading example of the “Food is Health” movement, the Farmacy connects healthcare and nutrition by enabling healthcare providers to address food insecurity as part of patient care. The program now provides access to healthy produce for tens of thousands of Ohioans and has become a model replicated by other organizations statewide.

• Mid-Ohio Kitchen: The Mid-Ohio Kitchen produces nutritious meals for children, seniors, families, and community partners throughout central Ohio, helping ensure access to healthy food while reducing barriers to nutrition.

• Mid-Ohio Market: Through a network of free, grocery-style markets, MOFC provides a dignified, customer-centered shopping experience while connecting neighbors to additional resources and services that support long-term stability and well-being.

 

Together, these five assets embody MOFC’s philosophy of delivering the right food, in the right place, at the right time. This integrated approach positions the organization not only as a provider of food assistance, but also as a catalyst for improved health outcomes, stronger communities, and lasting systems change.

The scale of MOFC’s impact is substantial. In fiscal year 2025, the organization distributed nearly 80 million pounds of food, served more than half a million unique individuals, recorded over 1.8 million service visits, and worked alongside more than 600 partner agencies and programs. MOFC’s operations now provide enough food for more than 180,000 meals every day across its service territory.

 

Beyond its community-based work, MOFC has established a national reputation for innovative solutions that advance food security and improve health outcomes. This leadership is reflected in its best-in-class data and engineering work, building the FreshTrak platform’s national reach to power data-driven operations and insights. Locally, the Eastland Prosperity Center reflects MOFC’s commitment to addressing the root causes of food insecurity. The Eastland Prosperity Center brings together community resources, workforce development, education, healthcare, and supportive services to create pathways to greater stability and opportunity for individuals and families.

 

The organization is guided by a culture of innovation, empathy, collaboration, and action. It seeks not merely to respond to hunger, but to redefine how communities address it by integrating food access, healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and human-centered service. This commitment has helped establish MOFC as a trusted regional leader and an emerging national model for hunger relief and community impact.

For more information about the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, please visit: https://mofc.org/

The Opportunity

 

The Mid-Ohio Food Collective enters this search from a position of strength.

 

Over the past four decades, the organization has established itself as one of the nation’s most respected and innovative hunger-relief organizations, earning a reputation for operational excellence, entrepreneurial thinking, strong community partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to serving neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Stakeholders consistently describe MOFC as a trusted community leader, a data-driven organization, and a mission-focused enterprise that is not afraid to challenge conventional approaches in pursuit of greater impact.

 

The next President & CEO (CEO) will have the opportunity to lead an organization with extraordinary visibility, credibility, and influence throughout central Ohio and across the broader food banking sector. At the same time, they will inherit the responsibility of guiding MOFC through the most significant leadership transitions in its history. Following the retirement of a long-tenured and highly respected chief executive, the next CEO will have the opportunity to honor a remarkable legacy while establishing their own leadership voice and vision for the future. Stakeholders recognize that the organization is not seeking a successor in the mold of the current leader. Rather, they seek a leader who can build upon a strong foundation while thoughtfully guiding MOFC into its next chapter.

 

The successful candidate will join MOFC at a moment when the need for its services remains exceptionally high and the external environment continues to evolve rapidly. Economic pressures, fluctuating food supplies, changes in government programs, and ongoing policy uncertainty are reshaping the landscape in which food banks operate. As community needs increase and traditional resources become less predictable, the next CEO will be called upon to help the organization remain agile, resilient, and responsive while ensuring that it continues to deliver impact at the highest level.

 

The opportunity also includes helping shape the future of MOFC’s innovative model. The organization has become nationally recognized for integrating food access, health, nutrition, agriculture, and community engagement into a comprehensive approach to addressing hunger. As initiatives such as Farmacy, the Smart-Farm, and the Eastland Prosperity Center continue to evolve, the next CEO will work alongside leadership and the Board to assess priorities, evaluate opportunities for growth, and ensure that innovation remains aligned with mission and community impact.

 

Position Summary

 

Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the President & CEO provides strategic leadership and overall direction for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, ensuring the continued advancement of its mission, vision, and values.

 

The CEO serves as the organization’s chief strategist, ambassador, and culture leader, guiding a complex and highly visible enterprise that operates across multiple locations, programs, and partnerships throughout Ohio.

 

Working in partnership with the Board, the CEO is responsible for setting organizational strategy, fostering innovation, ensuring financial sustainability, and advancing MOFC’s position as a national leader in hunger relief and community well-being. The CEO leads and supports an experienced executive team while cultivating an organizational culture grounded in collaboration, inclusivity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

 

The CEO serves as the public face of the organization, building relationships with donors, foundations, healthcare systems, elected officials, corporate partners, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations. Through these relationships, the CEO will strengthen MOFC’s visibility, expand its influence, and enhance its ability to address both the immediate realities and root causes of hunger.

 

This leader will be expected to think boldly about the future while maintaining excellence in day-to-day execution. They will guide the organization through continued growth and innovation, identify opportunities for strategic partnerships and investment, and ensure that MOFC remains responsive to evolving community needs. At the same time, the CEO will safeguard the organization’s financial health, steward its reputation, and ensure that every decision remains aligned with the mission and values that have defined MOFC’s success for more than four decades.

 

Candidate Profile

 

The ideal candidate will be a highly relational, mission-driven, and strategic leader capable of building upon the Mid-Ohio Food Collective’s remarkable legacy while guiding the organization confidently into its next chapter.

 

The Board seeks an executive who brings both vision and execution, combining strong business acumen with a deep understanding of people, partnerships, and community impact.

 

While experience within food banking or nonprofit leadership may be beneficial, the successful candidate may come from the nonprofit, healthcare, corporate, philanthropy, or broader human-services sectors, provided they demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving lives, leading mission-driven organizations, and navigating complex stakeholder environments. Experience building partnerships, influencing across sectors, and leading through change will be particularly important.

 

The next CEO will be an engaging and visible leader who thrives in relationship-centered environments. They will possess the executive presence, communication skills, and credibility necessary to serve as the public face of a highly respected organization. Whether engaging with donors, elected officials, community partners, volunteers, employees, healthcare leaders, or philanthropic investors, the successful candidate will inspire confidence, build trust, and authentically connect people around a shared vision and purpose. Familiarity with advocacy, public policy, and cross-sector partnerships is desired.

 

Successful candidates will bring deep demonstrated experience in fundraising, resource development, and external engagement. As MOFC continues to navigate changing funding environments and evolving donor expectations, the next CEO must be comfortable serving as a chief relationship officer, cultivating philanthropic support, and advancing strategic partnerships that strengthen organizational sustainability and impact. Experience with major gifts, capital campaign leadership, corporate partnerships, and/or large-scale resource development efforts will be highly valuable.

 

The Board and stakeholders also seek a leader who values people and culture. MOFC seeks a CEO who is approachable, empathetic, authentic, and visible throughout the organization. The successful candidate will lead with humility and emotional intelligence, fostering a culture rooted in trust, belonging, accountability, and collaboration. They will invest in talent development, empower subject-matter experts, and create opportunities for future leaders to grow and thrive.

 

Strategically, the next CEO must possess the judgment and discipline necessary to balance innovation with focus. The importance of sustaining MOFC’s entrepreneurial spirit while maintaining clarity regarding organizational priorities and long-term direction will be critical. The successful candidate will be able to evaluate opportunities thoughtfully, make difficult decisions when needed, and help align people and resources around the initiatives that create the greatest community impact.

 

Equally important, the next CEO will bring strong operational and financial leadership capabilities. They will understand how to lead a complex organization, steward resources responsibly, support high-performing teams, and ensure long-term sustainability. They will be decisive when circumstances require it, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and capable of balancing optimism with pragmatism in a rapidly changing environment, all while maintaining a sense of humor.

 

Above all, the successful candidate will embrace the mission of Mid-Ohio Food Collective and believe deeply in the organization’s ability to transform lives and communities. They will be a person of integrity, authenticity, and compassion who understands that leadership is ultimately about service, relationships, and impact.

 

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, social services, public health, or a related field is required; a graduate degree is desired.

 

Compensation, Benefits, & Application for Position

 

Mid-Ohio Food Collective offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

 

The salary range for this position is between $325,000 and $375,000 and will be commensurate with experience. Mid-Ohio Food Collective offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to health, vision, and dental insurance, 10 paid holidays, vacation, as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan.

How to apply

 

To apply, please submit a current resume and letter of introduction to Kittleman & Associates, LLC at https://kittlemansearch.com/mid-ohio-food-collective-president-ceo.