Leaving His Marc: Q&A with The Associated's Marc Terrill

There’s a famous quote by hockey great Wayne Gretzky of which Marc B. Terrill is particularly fond: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

For Terrill, the puck, for the first time in decades, will be away from 101 W. Mount Royal Ave., headquarters of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, where he has spent the bulk of his professional life.

In September of 2022, Terrill surprised many in the Jewish community and elsewhere by announcing he would be stepping down as The Associated’s president and CEO.

In some ways, the phrases “Terrill” and “Associated” seemed synonymous to local and national Jewish community observers. After all, The Associated is regarded as one of the nation’s top Jewish federations in an era of considerable economic, social and political challenges, with Terrill firmly at the helm and well-ensconced in non-sectarian groups as well.

A father of three who lives in Owings Mills with his wife Diana, Terrill, 62, succeeded Darrell D. Friedman as The Associated’s top professional leader in July of 2003. He is one of only six individuals who have held the post in the federation’s 104-year history.

Terrill first came to The Associated in 1989 as assistant campaign director and stayed for seven years before becoming a vice president at the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston.

On July 1, he will be officially succeeded by Andrew Cushnir, former executive vice president and chief development officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

“So much of my life has been tied into The Associated and our incredible community,” Terrill said at the time of his announcement. “I have been fortunate to be president of The Associated for over 20 years and connected to the organization in various capacities for over 30 years. … My love for this community will never end.”

The Associated will host a community-wide tribute gala to Terrill on Tuesday, June 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, at 401 W. Fayette St. (For information, visit associated.org/event/marc-terrills-grand-farewell or call 410-369-9255.)

Jmore recently spoke with Terrill about his tenure and legacy at The Associated, as well as his future plans.

Why are you retiring now?

Actually, I’m quite far from retiring. I still have a great deal that I’d like to accomplish. I think this next chapter in my career will best be described as applying the skills, knowledge and experiences that I have acquired over four decades to projects and causes and with people who share areas of common interest.

Since my commitment to Klal Yisrael [the Jewish community] is a significant part of who I am, I would venture to say that work related to interests and causes linked to the Jewish world will likely be a cornerstone of my work.

In fact, I have already committed to collaborating on several projects that have a Jewish focus and orientation. That said, there are certainly additional areas of interest that I would like to pursue.

As for the timing of stepping down from my role at The Associated, I have been connected to The Associated for 35 years, with 21 as the president and CEO. That is a long and atypical tenure in any field these days. I am proud of what we have collectively accomplished during this time and have many proud moments to reflect on, but I think it was time for a change.

The timing is good for me as my interests evolve. And I believe the timing is also good for The Associated. A change in leadership brings new ideas and skills, which I am certain will benefit our community in the long run.

What do you consider the highlight of your career at The Associated, as well as the most challenging time?

Without question, the highlight for me has been the privilege of working with many outstanding and extraordinary people. This includes colleagues throughout The Associated network as well as the many volunteers, contributors and community members who I have been blessed to have as part of my life.

I will always cherish the depth and authentic nature of these relationships. There is something special and exhilarating when people with common histories and values strive for shared goals.

I have felt the embrace of this special community from the moment I arrived in 1989 and proudly call The Associated and Baltimore home. To state the obvious, with that blessing comes the grief and loss when people whom I have literally grown up with pass away. My work at The Associated has been in partnership with so many quality individuals who I think of as family. Loss is a fact of life, but nonetheless, that fact doesn’t make the hurt go away.

As for ‘the work’ and related highlights, the most memorable are the many occasions when recipients of our collective work have reached out to express their gratitude. Those people extend from Baltimore to Odessa to Ashkelon and other parts of Israel and to an expansive list of other global locales where circumstances related to antisemitism, social and economic unrest, and sometimes war, render the need for assistance.

Being able to help those who need the extended hand of a caring community is truly an incredible feeling. Letting them know that they are not alone. How blessed are we to be engaged in work where we can make a difference in the lives of many each and every day?

For sure, there have been challenges over the years, but we have always faced them head-on. We have been planful, collaborative and resolute in our approach. To name a few challenges over the last 20 years, we have had the financial collapse, market corrections, bubbles bursting, wars, inflation, civil unrest, more war, pandemic, terrorism, rises in antisemitism, and the list goes on.

And each and every time, we have emerged even stronger because of the collaborative nature of The Associated, our network of agencies and our community. We have a lot of very talented people who pull together in both times of opportunity and challenge.

How did you steer the ship through such difficult periods as the financial crisis of 2008, the pandemic and Israel’s conflicts?

We always lead with a holistic, integrated plan that identifies the ‘work to be done’ while also taking all of our communal assets into account in solving a problem. This is the power of an Associated network built on collaboration and coordination.

Simply put, there is no substitute for the dedicated time to consider desired outcomes and the road map to get there. The ‘fire, ready, aim approach’ does not appear in our lexicon. In every case, the plan includes forecasting needs, mechanisms for delivering service to our constituents, resource development, financial management, marketing and communications, advocacy, metrics and continuous evaluation, and course correction if needed.

Our approach deploys talent and expertise across our community, working toward the same stated goal no matter the circumstance. Jewish Baltimore is asset-rich with The Associated, our Associated agencies, a strong expanse of synagogues, schools and formidable grassroots organizations. All have a role to play.

What was it like going through the painful process of creating new constituent agencies while eliminating others?

Ultimately, the professionals and the lay leadership at The Associated are responsible for responding to evolving constituent needs, forecasting and assessing trends, and interpreting data so that our network remains relevant, responsive and strong.

Change is seldom easy and often accompanied by considerable stress and angst, in particular since change affects people. And those people are well-intentioned, honorable, committed members of our community. Going through the process of change is not particularly enjoyable, but it can be necessary.

It also has an aspect of exhilaration and hope as we march to new ways of approaching our work and connecting to our constantly evolving community.

What makes the Baltimore Jewish community, both lay and professional leadership, so different and successful while many other communities have struggled?

A lot of people have heard me say time and time again over the years that the differentiator of our community or our ‘secret sauce’ is the extraordinary volunteer leaders and Jewish communal professionals who engage in our collective work. I believe this deeply.

That said, at face value, obviously, our people are no different from others around the globe. We all breathe the same air. I think our success comes down to an enduring commitment to excellence, collaborative planning, coordination, data-informed approaches, relentless pursuit of goals, commitment to evolving when necessary and never forgetting the ‘Jewish’ in our work. Leaders in Baltimore take their roles very seriously, and that seriousness has clear impact on results.

Further, Baltimore has a deep history, tradition and ongoing commitment to Jewish learning, experiential and practice. We mold and prepare our people for leadership positions. This is supported throughout The Associated network, our synagogues, day schools and a number of other venerable organizations in Jewish Baltimore.

Being Jewish matters to our past, present and future leaders. Our community ‘develops’ leaders emphasizing the who, what and why. As people pursue leadership in our community, they are grounded by a deep sense of commitment to ‘doing the Jewish,’ which speaks to them and inspires them to give joyfully of time and treasure.

In addition, people learn the hard and soft skills of effective leadership along their journey, so that when they reach certain roles, they are prepared to lead.

What will you miss about your work at The Associated?

I will miss the power and excitement of a group of people, of a community, who share values working together toward making a positive difference in the world. For me, there is no more exhilarating and meaningful way to live.

I will also miss the adrenaline of facing each and every day without knowing what that day will bring. I can say without reservation that there has been nothing boring about my role, and no two days are alike.

That said, I’m looking forward to a little less excitement and stress and a lot more predictability!

Any advice for your successor?

Be yourself, trust your instincts and take advantage of our community’s incredible features and resources, both personally and professionally.

You said that you are not retiring. If you had to name your work going forward, what would it be?

I guess the best way of describing my intention is to serve as a consultant and executive coach. Specifically, partnering with individuals and groups, and their ideas and aiding them in bringing those hopes and dreams to fruition.

Given my educational background, training, decades of experience and perspective, I hope to provide a safe, confidential and collaborative space for exploration of ideas, skills development, strategy, developing accountability measures and addressing perceived or real obstacles in getting to the future imagined.

Many emerging and current leaders and groups claim a certain loneliness and stagnation at times. I can certainly attest to that feeling over my career. The gift of dedicated time to think and to be challenged can be a path to watershed change.

People are our greatest asset, and investing in their development and their ideas can be a significant difference- maker. Again, I have certainly found that to be the case during my career.

Are you staying in Baltimore?

Of course. This is our home.

What would you like your legacy to be?

I hope that I have shown that I respected, nurtured, evolved and grew a network of Associated agencies in service to our community during radically changing times; that I connected a broad expanse of people to the beauty of Jewish life with community partners; that I elevated our community’s connection to Israel and global Jewry; that I engaged in the development of world-class Jewish communal professionals and volunteer leaders, and that I did so with a literal army of volunteers and professionals who I was blessed to have as part of my journey.

And that every waking moment of the last 21 years of service as The Associated’s president and CEO was accompanied by an unwavering, unshakable and enduring love for our community, for our collective past, for our vibrant present and a future full of promise.