Carey Cooper named 2023 JUF General Campaign Chair

Carey Cooper has assumed the helm of the 2023 Jewish United Fund Annual Campaign as its General Campaign Chair, bridging past and future generations to fully embrace all that is possible in this critical role.

With a track record of decades-long leadership in the Jewish community and beyond, Cooper is energized by the myriad of opportunities to build upon JUF’s historic legacy of addressing urgent needs at home and around the world.

“I’m excited to meet with members of our community, to tell our story and explain our needs,” Cooper said. “Our community is incredibly generous. We open our arms and take care of each other. The opportunity to talk to people and to share the work of JUF is not only exciting, but vital to our success.”

As Campaign Chair, Cooper will lead the 2023 JUF Annual Campaign, which quite literally is the lifeline for everything JUF does, providing foundational support for a network of more than 100 human service agencies, educational institutions, and community-building programs in Chicago, in Israel, and around the world.

“Carey’s passionate about our community and about the people in it,” said JUF President Lonnie Nasatir. “From seniors to people with disabilities, to a young family seeking a pathway to Jewish life, Carey’s leadership is defined by compassion, care, and the understanding that we are all responsible for each other.”

Cooper has been deeply dedicated to the vitality of Jewish Chicago since the 1980s. From his earliest days on the board of YLD, to leadership roles with JCC Chicago and Keshet, Carey has been committed to building–and nurturing–strong, inclusive Jewish programs and opportunities that continually meet the ever-evolving needs of the community.

“There are so many pressing issues that are important to me,” Cooper said. “Prioritizing mental health support, ongoing opportunities for children, teens, and adults with disabilities, and caring for our elderly to combat loneliness. JUF provides a lifeline for so many people.”

Inspired by his grandfather, Eli Field, who was JUF Campaign Chair in 1982, Cooper is committed to motivating future leaders in the community. “Key to our continued success is our ability to engage and energize the next generation,” he said. “We need new leaders to rise up and we have to be there to mentor and guide them as they find their points of passion in the work we do.”

Professionally, Cooper is a serial entrepreneur who has served as the CEO and/or chairman of firms throughout the food & beverage & supply chain industries, including, Redi-Cut Foods, Danaco Solutions, L3 Hospitality Group, and Chicagoland Equipment & Supply. He has also served on several corporate boards as a director or chairman including, CES (Chairman), Edward Don & Co (Director), Maxi Canada-(DBA Dino Nuggets) (Director), Enjoy Life Foods (Director), and L&L Foods (Director).

An enthusiastic philanthropist, Cooper has served as President of the North Suburban Jewish Community Center, Vice President of the National Fragile X Foundation, and President of the Board of Trustees for The Cove School in Northbrook. In addition to serving on the JUF board, he is a member of the international Young Presidents Organization.

Cooper earned a BS from the University of Illinois with CPA designation, and a JD from Loyola University in Chicago. He and his wife, Cheryl, live in Highland Park, and have three adult children, Allie, Nathan, and Douglas, and five grandchildren.

Elizabeth Abrams is Assistant Vice President of the Communications department of JUF.