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Founding Director

Joseph Kanfer

Joe is active in national Jewish affairs. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of Leading Edge, the central address for people and leadership in the Jewish non-profit sector. He is Founding Chair of Honeymoon Israel, a venture to bring young couples to Israel and foster Jewish community when they return. He is the past Chair of JFNA, The Jewish Federations of North America, JESNA, the Jewish Education Service of North America, the Akron Jewish Federation, The Lippman School, and Akron Tomorrow. He serves on the board of the Jewish Agency for Israel and The Jewish Funders Network. He is a Founding Director of Lippman Kanfer Family Philanthropies.

Joe is Venturer at GOJO, creators of PURELL, where he served as CEO from 1976 to May 2018. As Venturer, he focuses on innovation. He is a founding partner of Walnut Ridge, the investment vehicle and family office of the Kanfer family.

Joe is a venture investor in the United States and Israel, serving as Chairman of Startvest Partners, which develops biotech startups in Israel. 

Joe received the 2011 H. Peter Burg Award from the Greater Akron Chamber and the 2015 Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award from the Akron Community Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Joe is married and has four children and 18 grandchildren.