Greyston Names Mike Brady President & CEO
Greyston’s Board of Directors announced today that Mike Brady, President of Greyston Bakery, has been named President and CEO of Greyston, expanding his leadership role to the entirety of Greyston. “We are pleased to have found a leader within our existing team who possesses both the passion for our mission, as well as a vision for what a successful organization should be in the 21st Century,” said Deborah Stewart, Chair of the Greyston Foundation Board of Directors.
Brady was a Board Member of Greyston Foundation before being named President and CEO of Greyston Bakery in 2012, the for-profit arm of Greyston Foundation. Through his leadership, Brady developed the Bakery into a pre-eminent social enterprise, demonstrating that Greyston’s unique model of Open Hiring and PathMaking—Greyston’s mission in serving the people of Southwest Yonkers—is compatible with a profitable business model. Passionate about social entrepreneurship, Brady is a well-known thought leader on social enterprise management, mindfulness in business, and the development and success of Benefit Corporations. He is a regularly featured speaker on these and related topics, having presented at TED@Unilever, CGI America, the Ashoka Future Forum, as well as at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Brown.
Brady remarked, “Greyston celebrated its 32nd Anniversary this year and I am honored to have the opportunity to build on our heritage as a pioneering social enterprise. The momentum behind socially-minded and sustainable business practices has never been stronger and this could not be happening at a more critical time as we search for answers to the challenges of joblessness and poverty, which are preventing good people from leading lives of self-sufficiency. I look forward to working with the outstanding team at Greyston to address these problems and to set an example for other like-minded organizations to follow.”
“We congratulate Mike Brady as Greyston’s newest leader and visionary, who has the experience and passion to continue Greyston’s business model of expert community outreach and growth,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Greyston to assist those in need throughout Yonkers and beyond.”
Under Brady’s leadership, Greyston Bakery has been marked by solid financial and mission-based achievements. During his tenure, the Bakery increased revenues by more than 50% and was recognized as New York State’s first Benefit Corporation. Brady’s strategic initiatives have also resulted in national distribution of Greyston Bakery brownies and cookies through Whole Foods Market, a high quality contract baking capability, and a strengthened 25-year relationship with Ben & Jerry’s and its parent Unilever. “Mike has been a remarkable leader of Greyston Bakery. We look forward to him bringing that same passion to the entirety of Greyston, raising the bar for all of our programs to maximize our positive impact on the people who need it most,” said Deborah Stewart, Chair of the Greyston Foundation Board of Directors.
Brady has more than 20 years of experience in strategy and management positions identifying and exploring new business opportunities in high-growth and transitional industries. Prior to joining Greyston Bakery, Brady was a partner with BAO Food and Drink, where he oversaw the development of the country’s first incubator dedicated to organic food production and distribution. He is also a business advisor to the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) helping to promote policies for a more sustainable economy. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Brady lives in Westchester, N.Y. with his wife and two sons.
