Charlotte – Peter Blair has been named president of the Lynnwood Foundation, the non-profit which operates the Duke Mansion and the Lee Institute. He succeeds Cyndee Patterson, who is retiring after leading the organization since 1999.
Blair currently serves as CEO of the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center in Charlotte. “I’ve devoted my entire career to building and investing in the community. I’m honored to have been entrusted with the leadership of The Lynnwood Foundation as this position affords the unique opportunity to build a stronger Charlotte for every member of our community,” Blair said.
The Duke Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a historic inn, meeting facility and community gathering place which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2015. The Lee Institute focuses on building community collaborative leadership. It strengthens nonprofits, engages people and empowers leaders by leading and guiding collaborative efforts, and by supporting the work of other nonprofit, public, and community organizations with a variety of services.
“Peter Blair is uniquely qualified to follow in the footsteps of local legend Cyndee Patterson,” said Mary Long, board chair of the Lynnwood Foundation. “He brings his broad set of business leadership skills and his passion for the community building work that is the core mission of the Lee Institute. We’re enthusiastic about the energy and perspective that Peter brings to launch this new era.”
Blair joined the Levine Jewish Community Center in September 2015. In his role as chief executive, he led a nonprofit with a staff of 450+ and a membership of over 10,000 individuals representing the diversity of the Charlotte community. Previously, he served as chief operating officer of the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Blair is a founding member of The Paradigm Project where he served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. This group creates and delivers leadership development fellowships, annual conferences, and thought leadership in Jewish education across North America.
Blair is from Memphis, Tenn., and holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has two children, Hudson, 15, and Cohen, 13.