Adam Fazio
Vice President
Benefactor Group is honored to celebrate 25 years serving those who serve the common good. This milestone isn’t just about our journey—it’s about recognizing 25 years of philanthropic successes and the transformative impact those successes have had on people and causes around the world. Together, we fuel causes with powerful fundraising, people, and systems, and we look forward to continuing this work for many years to come.
As an executive search consultant, you rarely have the chance to see an organization’s evolution. Search consultants are retained to support an organization at a moment of transition; the search process helps clarify the vision for the future and identifies a leader who can carry out that vision, but that work begins after the search concludes.
In Benefactor Group’s 25 years of serving those who serve the common good, the team experienced a full-circle moment: IBH Addiction Recovery (IBH) was once again seeking a high-impact leader—and the former executive we helped place was the one who called us to lead the new search.
The Search for Stability and Vision
In 2019, Benefactor Group was retained to support IBH Addiction Recovery with the search for the organization’s next Executive Director. IBH Addiction Recovery is a cornerstone in the Akron, Ohio, community, helping people recover from addiction and gain skills for a lifetime of sobriety. Since its founding in 1970, IBH has served tens of thousands of people from all backgrounds, striving to ensure that everyone who seeks addiction recovery finds a place of belonging, healing, and hope. At the time, IBH was in the midst of an extended period of transition after the departure of its founder and a succession of short-tenured leaders. IBH needed a leader who could bring stability to the team and expand the continuum of care to meet the urgent and growing need in the community.
The new Executive Director would join the organization with a tall order: maintain residential services and expand outpatient treatment offerings to broaden the continuum of care offered to clients. All while expanding the team and building relationships with key stakeholders.
The Right Executive Leader at the Right Time
Thankfully, the search resulted in the appointment of Jonathan Wylly, a seasoned executive leader with deep experience in the recovery and mental health services field.
Soon after joining the organization, as IBH prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary, he would face the emergent challenge of maintaining residential treatment services and launching new programming, all while responding to the onset of COVID. The organization was in the midst of opening a new partial hospitalization program (PHP), expected to launch in May 2020, when the pandemic hit. As with any new program, introducing PHP would result in significant shifts in operations and procedures for both staff and clients. Rather than put the program launch on pause, the organization, under Jonathan’s leadership, made a bold decision: shift organizational procedures once and incorporate the launch of PHP into IBH’s response to COVID, which resulted in pushing up the program’s opening date.
The effort to open the PHP was successful because of the strong communication and trust across the team. This foundation of trust, collaboration, and commitment to providing life-changing treatment to individuals and families in recovery is emblematic of Jonathan’s approach to leadership and staff development. During his tenure, Jonathan focused much of his efforts on building a positive, client-focused culture across the organization, with an emphasis on staff development. This was particularly evident in his work with the organization’s leadership team.
A Thoughtful Leadership Transition
When Jonathan announced his intent to retire in Summer 2024, it was clear that his investment in his staff had been a success, with a deeply qualified leadership team and abundant support for a leader from within the organization. Nonetheless, the board made the prudent decision to invest in a partnership with our team at Benefactor Group to conduct a national search for the organization’s next leader. The board recognized that, even with a potential successor on the team, working with a retained search partner helps support an unbiased process to identify the best possible candidate for the position. The search would align the organization’s stakeholders around a vision for the next chapter and ensure the next leader was equipped to execute that vision.
A Leader from Within
In April 2025, after a comprehensive national search with many qualified candidates, the Board of Trustees at IBH announced the appointment of Jess Rist, the organization’s COO, as its next Chief Executive Officer. Jess is an accomplished professional and advocate for recovery services who has raised millions of dollars for various organizations across Northeast Ohio. Since joining IBH Addiction Recovery to spearhead fundraising efforts in 2021, she has been instrumental to the organization’s growth and has since held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO she oversees operations, human resources, quality and compliance, and fundraising for the organization.
“Jess is a dynamic leader, with deep knowledge of IBH’s supporters and operations. She has a proven record of success in her current role and is ideally positioned to lead the organization into its next chapter of growth and expanded impact,” said Tom Pitts, IBH Addiction Recovery’s Board Chair. “We extend our sincere gratitude to Jonathan Wylly for his years of dedicated service and the lasting contributions he has made to our community.”
The skills leading to her selection will quickly be put to use, as IBH has embarked on a $15,000,000 capital campaign, “Building Foundations,” to erect new facilities for its clients. “I’m grateful and humbled to have been chosen as Jonathan’s successor,” Jess said. “I can’t think of a more exciting time to be called on to lead IBH into the future.”
Looking Back—and Ahead—with Gratitude
As we celebrate Benefactor Group’s 25th anniversary, stories like IBH Addiction Recovery’s remind us why we do this work. Executive search isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about helping mission-driven organizations navigate critical moments of change with clarity, confidence, and purpose. It’s about investing in people who will carry a mission forward, often in the face of daunting challenges and evolving community needs.
We were honored to walk alongside IBH not once, but twice—first to help guide the organization through a transformational new chapter, and years later to support a seamless and values-driven leadership transition. Witnessing the long-term impact of these placements is a rare and gratifying privilege in executive search.
For 25 years, Benefactor Group has partnered with organizations like IBH Addiction Recovery to place the right leaders at the right time—leaders who shape culture, build trust, and deliver on mission. As we look ahead to the next 25 years, we remain committed to supporting those who serve the common good through smart strategy, strong leadership, and shared purpose.
If your organization is preparing for a leadership transition, we’d welcome the opportunity to support your next chapter. Let’s connect.
