Community West Foundation Board of Directors Spotlight: Chris Harrington

Community West Foundation Board Member, Chris Harrington

Christopher Harrington joined the Community West Foundation board in 2006 when the late Dr. Ted Castele, Chair Emeritus with the Foundation, encouraged him to get involved. “I like their mission, and when Dr. Ted asked you to do something, you gladly did it,” admits Chris. He is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and chairs the Finance Committee. He also serves on the Audit, Executive, Investment and Nominating Committees. “This charitable organization is special, and the people that work and volunteer here make it special. Their dedication to the mission is extraordinary,” Chris commented.

Chris grew up in the Detroit area. He attended Albion College, where he was a competitive swimmer, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management in 1979. He met his wife-to-be, Stephanie, while they were both students at Albion. He continued on to earn his Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing at Wayne State University in 1983. Chris came to Cleveland in 1989 and, for many years, he was Executive Vice President of Aluminum Line Products Co. He left in 2010 to co-found Rockwell Metals Company in Lorain.

The Harrington’s live in Rocky River and are active members in their church, Rocky River United Methodist, where Chris is a past treasurer. The couple has 3 adult children: Christopher, Amanda, and Stephen. Chris is an avid fan and season ticket holder for the Detroit Red Wings and the Cleveland Browns. He enjoys spending time with his family, outdoor sports, country music and has been involved in Masters swimming for 40 years.

Community West Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and medical care in the greater Cleveland area. Originally known as the Fairview/Lutheran Foundation, Community West has been supporting these Cleveland Clinic hospitals as well as many community non-profit agencies through grantmaking since 1997. Under the guidance of the Board of Directors, Community West has grown its giving exponentially over the past 20 years. In 2019, Community West distributed $7M in grants.

The mission of Community West Foundation is to advance the health and well being of our community. The staff and Board of Directors are guided by the words in Matthew 25:35-40: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

For more information, contact Community West Foundation at 440-360-7370 or visit CommunityWestFoundation.org.