Richard Shadyac Jr. will be stepping down as the CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in March. St. Jude, founded by Danny Thomas and supported by the entertainment industry in its early years, is renowned as one of the most successful private philanthropic endeavors in the nation’s history.
The primary mission of St. Jude is to find cures and advance research in pediatric cancer and other diseases. The ethos of the St. Jude center in Memphis is that no child is ever turned away due to an inability to pay for treatment.
ALSAC, also established in the early 1960s, serves as the year-round fundraising organization for St. Jude. Under Shadyac’s leadership over the past 15 years, philanthropic giving and sponsorships have nearly quadrupled. ALSAC has experienced 59 consecutive quarters of growth in fundraising and has initiated a capital campaign to support a $12.9 billion expansion of the St. Jude campus.
In a statement, Shadyac expressed his belief that it is time for ALSAC to transition to new leadership. He commended the employees, volunteers, donors, and partners who have contributed to the organization’s success and expressed confidence in ALSAC’s ability to continue fulfilling the St. Jude mission.
As of March 1, ALSAC’s chief operating officer, Ike Anand, will serve as interim CEO while the organization searches for a permanent successor. Frederick M. Azar, chairman of ALSAC’s board of directors, lauded Shadyac’s dedication and leadership, noting that his guidance has enabled St. Jude to provide care and conduct research on a scale previously unimaginable.
Shadyac’s family has been involved with ALSAC since its inception, with his childhood involvement in collecting coins for St. Jude. He joined the board and was appointed president and CEO in 2009. Anand, who joined ALSAC in 2020 after a tenure with Expedia Group, will continue to lead the organization during this transitional period.
The legacy of ALSAC and St. Jude’s commitment to delivering care and advancing medical research underscore the importance of philanthropy in supporting children and families facing challenging health crises. The organization’s ongoing efforts to seek advancements in medicine and provide vital support to those in need ensure a bright future for St. Jude and its mission.
