SVDP BR CEO Search Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7th 2025
Media Contact: Ralph Stephens, Chair of Search Committee
St. Vincent de Paul Baton Rouge Board of Directors 
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), St. Vincent De Paul Baton Rouge (SVDP-BR)Location: Baton Rouge, LA (candidates with a connection to Southern LA strongly preferred)
P: 225.572.9841 | Email: RalphJStephenscpa@gmail.com
St. Vincent de Paul Baton Rouge Board of Directors Initiates National CEO Search
BATON ROUGE, LA —St. Vincent de Paul Baton Rouge (SVDP-BR) announced today that the search for a new CEO is actively underway. Former CEO Michael Acaldo, who had led SVDP-BR for over 30 years, accepted a position in September 2024 as CEO of SVDP USA.
Andy Adler, the SVDP-BR Board Chair, asked a specially formed CEO Search Committee to “draft a detailed position overview for the next CEO, reflecting the Board’s most recent strategic plan”. Working with SVDP HR Consultant Theresa Jones, the Search Committee issued a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) in 4Q24, asking search firms to respond to “detailed questions around their firm’s qualifications, experience of individual consultants, approach, search strategy, timing & fees, and client references from recent relevant Catholic nonprofit CEO search assignments”.
Multiple search firms submitted proposals by the December 6th 2024 deadline. The Search Committee led by Chair, Ralph Stephens, used a “quantitative scoring analysis to evaluate the proposals and notified the firms of their decision the first week of January”. SVDP selected the proposal from Connectly Recruiting, a Baton Rouge headquartered search firm whose CEO, Christina Boudreaux, had recently recruited SVDP’s first HR leader and COO, and a national search firm, the Boland Group, whose CEO, Ann Boland, assisted with the SVDP COO search, and who has successfully completed over two dozen nonprofit CEO searches.
Asked what the Board is seeking in SVDP’s first CEO in over 30 years, Andy Adler said “the present search for Chief Executive Officer is designed to identify and attract an executive with the management experience, the cultural sensitivity and the spiritual grounding to be the leader that this extraordinary mission deserves”.
Ralph Stephens added “Michael Acaldo did a remarkable job in his 30 years with St. Vincent DePaul. While his shoes will be hard to fill, we have assembled a great team to help us find and hire a dynamic leader who can build on Michael’s legacy.”
The search committee kickoff was February 6th; first and second round interviews are slated for March, with final interviews in April. The objective is for the successful candidate to start in May.
For more information about the position, or to apply, click here (bit.ly/SVDPBR) Or send resume to CEO@MissionDrivenSearch.org
About St Vincent de Paul Baton Rouge (SVDPBR.net)
Since its founding, St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge has been dedicated to serving the most vulnerable members of our community. Rooted in the Catholic Social Teachings, SVDP-BR provides essential resources, including homeless shelters, meal programs, a community pharmacy, and supportive services to those in need.
Through the commitment of volunteers, staff, and community partners, SVDP-BR strives to restore dignity and hope by offering compassionate care and pathways toward self-sufficiency. Each year, the organization serves thousands of individuals and families, ensuring that those facing hardship receive the assistance they need.
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