June 12, 2017 CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – Jason Shanks, the first and only chief executive officer for Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM), is departing the agency to become president of Huntington, Indiana – based Our Sunday Visitor Institute, the fundraising and philanthropic arm of the esteemed Catholic publishing house. Msgr. Charles Kosanke, chairman of CCSEM’s 16-member board of directors, is leading a search for the agency’s next CEO and has engaged (search firm name) in the effort. Shanks will continue leading CCSEM in the months ahead to ensure a smooth and complete transition. Operating on an annual budget of $9,720,741 CCSEM serves more than 20,000 individuals regardless of faith or financial means at 13 locations in a six-county region. Shanks started as CCSEM’s founding CEO in October 2012 as the agency was being formed at the request of archdiocesan leadership by merging county-based Catholic social services agencies in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s geography. The goal was to create one Catholic, humanitarian enterprise with a distinct brand offering a greater volume of services across Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne counties. “I am profoundly grateful for Mr. Shanks’  leadership to build upon the strengths and traditions of our predecessor social services agencies,” said Archbishop Vigneron, CCSEM board president. “Jason’s strong spirituality and steady guidance resulted in a successful merger and firmly established CCSEM as a regional beacon of hope and help. I’m pleased he will continue serving the Church with Our Sunday Visitor.” “I’m excited to expand upon the terrific tradition, wonderful work, and national reach of the Our Sunday Visitor Institute as well as to relocate closer to my wife’s family,” said Shanks. “My kids – with our fifth due in August – will have the gift of growing up around grandparents, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins.” Named in 2014 by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its elite “40 Under 40” professionals, Shanks architected the transformation and modernization of CCSEM’s administrative and operational infrastructures, providing services to more than 5,000 additional clients yearly and adding more than $1 million to the agency’s budget during his tenure. He added the All Saints Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry in southeast Detroit as a CCSEM ministry, restarted the agency’s Project Hope prolife ministry, and established CCSEM as a regional partner in the Journey to Housing homelessness prevention program in Wayne County and the Bridges to Hope poverty reduction program in Detroit. Msgr. Charles Kosanke, chairman of CCSEM’s 16-member board of directors, is leading a search for the agency’s next CEO and has engaged the Connecticut-based Catholic Recruiter Associates in the effort. Shanks will continue leading CCSEM in the months ahead to ensure a smooth and complete transition. Operating on an annual budget of $9,720,741 CCSEM serves more than 20,000 individuals regardless of faith or financial means at 13 locations in a six-county region.