Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky (MOW), known for providing meals and essential services that promote independence and help people stay in their homes, has named Mike Dunn as its new CEO effective May 1.
Dunn is a respected leader in the nonprofit sector with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through transformational periods of growth. He has been recognized for his expertise in strategic operations, people management, marketing and fund-raising.
In his new position, Dunn will focus on MOW’s role as the largest service provider for older adults in Greater Cincinnati and one of the country’s largest community-based organizations providing services to older adults. Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky serves more than one million meals annually to older adults in 13 counties in this region.
He was selected as the new CEO because of his track record of creating and executing strategic plans, coordinating comprehensive fundraising campaigns, growing revenue and increasing accessibility to social services. He is a proven leader in the nonprofit sector whose successful career has been distinguished, in large part, by his passion for community service and engagement. He has the ability and experience to build authentic relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders.
“My professional background will allow me to assist MOW in building upon its stellar reputation, increase the organization’s overall capacity to serve, and ensure its stability into the future,” he said. “I feel called to contribute toward the betterment of our community, particularly focusing on enhancing the quality of life for the underserved, as well as staff and volunteers. I welcome the opportunity to lead a dynamic team, working together to achieve positive outcomes for older adults in need.”
Prior to joining MOW as CEO, Dunn most recently served as the vice president of executive search at Centennial, Inc., a local executive search firm. Although, he is perhaps most well-known for his tenure as the executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati District Council (SVDP). There, he doubled the organization’s annual operating revenue, led the creation of a five-year strategic plan and oversaw the successful completion of a capital campaign and the construction of a new outreach center.
Dunn also held a variety of roles over more than 16 years at Xavier University including chief revenue officer for the athletics department, director of Xavier’s Cintas Center and associate athletics director for marketing. He has served on the boards of local organizations including Catholics United for the Poor and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati.
“I have deep knowledge of our region as my career has afforded me the opportunity to forge numerous relationships across Greater Cincinnati and exposed me to many diverse organizations,” Dunn said. “I am most excited about this opportunity because of MOW’s focus on ‘much more than a meal.’ A nutritious meal is essential for older adults, but so is the wide array of services MOW offers. We will continue to grow and enhance service offerings for the older adults in our community,” he said.
Dunn succeeds Paul Brunner who has served as interim CEO of Meals on Wheels since early 2023. Dunn holds a BS in business management from the University of Dayton and an MS in physical education – athletics administration from Ohio University.
To learn more about Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, visit muchmorethanameal.org.
Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky