David Rosenblatt Joins Board of Trustees at Russell Berrie Foundation
Entrepreneur Co-Founded Israel’s Leading Solar Energy Company
Teaneck, N.J. — David Rosenblatt, an entrepreneur who pioneered Israel’s burgeoning solar energy industry, will join the Board of Trustees of The Russell Berrie Foundation, following a unanimous vote by the board on Tuesday.
Rosenblatt will bring to bear his vast experience building established businesses and working independently to found, fund and grow companies at all stages of development, from inception through IPO. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including finance, health care and energy. Rosenblatt co-founded the Arava Power Company, Israel’s first utility-scale solar development company, and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Arava’s parent company, Global Sun Partners.
Throughout his career, Rosenblatt has remained an active volunteer and lay leader, including serving as founding Chairman of the Montgomery County Technology Center, a public-private partnership to promote technology in K-12 education in Maryland, and as President of the Political Action Committee in Washington, D.C. Since moving to New Jersey in 2004, he has served in numerous leadership roles in the Jewish community, including Vice President of the Board of Directors at Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, President of New Jersey’s JCC Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Directors at Temple Emanu-El in Closter, N.J.
In 2008, Rosenblatt graduated from the Berrie Fellows Leadership Program, an intensive 18-month fellowship that is one of the Russell Berrie Foundation’s signature initiatives to galvanize the next generation of Jewish community leaders in New Jersey. After completing the fellowship, which incorporates leadership skill development and immersive Jewish learning, Rosenblatt went on to create and run the Berrie Innovation Grant with Laura Freeman, awarding mini-grants to innovative non-profits working with Berrie Fellows alumni..
“We are thrilled to have David transition from Berrie Fellows alumnus to a member of the Russell Berrie Foundation’s Board of Trustees,” Angelica Berrie, President of the Board, said. “His entrepreneurial spirit would have appealed to my late husband, Russ, and his commitment to making a difference in our community aligns so well with the values of the Russell Berrie Foundation.”
Rosenblatt said: “As a Berrie Fellow, a lay leader in the Northern New Jersey Jewish community and an entrepreneur whose portfolio includes projects in the United States as well as Israel, I have long admired the Russell Berrie Foundation’s excellent work. The Foundation is an established leader in identifying and supporting innovative programs and leaders that are truly making a difference, and I am humbled and honored to contribute my skills and expertise to help further the Foundation's important mission.”
Ruth Salzman, Chief Executive Officer of the Russell Berrie Foundation, said: “Since meeting David during his tenure as a Berrie Fellow, I have been increasingly impressed by his sharp intellect, entrepreneurial mindset and unflagging commitment to serving his community. Our board members play a crucial role in shaping our agenda and identifying ways to serve our partner organizations, and we are fortunate to have David join our conversation.”
Rosenblatt’s previous senior roles include Managing Director at BlackRock and a founder of QuickenLoans at Intuit. Prior to those roles, he focused on project finance and corporate transactions as an attorney with Chadbourne & Parke and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Rosenblatt holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, a JD from Northwestern University Law School and a BS with honors from Pennsylvania State University. He lives in Tenafly, New Jersey with his wife, Shari Gersten, and their twins, Arielle and Zeke.