Bottom Line Appoints Virgil J. Jones Jr. As Chief Executive Officer
BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bottom Line, a non-profit organization committed to supporting low-income and first generation students in their pursuit of a college degree, today announced Virgil J. Jones Jr. as the organization's new Chief Executive Officer. Virgil will succeed Greg Johnson who has served as CEO since 2003 and will now assume the newly created Chief Operating Officer role. Virgil will be responsible for the oversight of the organization's national expansion and regional programs in Massachusetts, New York and Chicago.
"Virgil provides a seamless blend of passion and experience. He is certainly the right individual to lead our organization forward," said Marc Smith, Board Chair, Bottom Line. "His strengths in fundraising, communication and programming will serve the organization well as we chart a path for growth to ensure more first generation students succeed in higher education and their careers."
Before joining Bottom Line, Virgil was President of LINK Unlimited, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational college preparatory opportunities for economically disadvantaged African American high school students. For fourteen years, he oversaw day-to-day operations, coordinating fundraising, mentor recruitment, finance, and program execution. Under Virgil's leadership, the organization graduated more than 1,000 students and tripled the operating budget. Virgil began his career as a high school teacher, and later as Marketing Manager at HCA Hospital, where he led referral development initiatives within the educational community and developed a passion for working directly with youth.
"I am excited and honored to join the Bottom Line team. As a first-generation college graduate, I know firsthand that higher education and college completion can change lives," said Virgil. "Together, with the Bottom Line team, counselors and supporters, we'll work to further enrich the lives of those we serve and ultimately create communities that can lift themselves up through education and career development."
Virgil earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, an M.A. in pastoral studies from Catholic Theological Union, and a B.S. in psychology from Loyola University. He is a member of the governing board for the University of Chicago Charter School and serves as a board of director at Beverly Bank & Trust Company, a Wintrust Community Bank. Virgil is also a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, a 30-year-old not-for-profit organization that cultivates Chicago's business, public and civic leaders through a deeper understanding of the issues facing our community and each other, helping them to build a better Chicago.
About Bottom Line
Bottom line was founded in 1997 to help low-income and first-generation students get into college, graduate from college and go far in life. Bottom Line students from the last three graduating classes have graduated college at rates greater than 80%, more than twice the national average for low-income students. The organization currently serves almost 5,000 high school seniors and college students from Boston, Worcester, New York and Chicago and expects to double that number within the next five years.
SOURCE Bottom Line
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