Our Mission : Executives & Board

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Catherine D'Amato

Catherine D'Amato has been in the food business since her Italian immigrant parents opened a restaurant when she was eight. She's been a leader in the nation's food bank network for 32 years, coming to The Greater Boston Food Bank as Executive Director in 1995, and named President and CEO in 1997. Under her leadership and guidance, GBFB's distribution of food has increased from 8 to 35 million pounds of food per year. Today, the organization is a $63 million charitable food business, with more than 500 agency partners, and a new, state-of-the-art food distribution warehouse in the heart of Boston. Last year, GBFB distributed enough food to feed as many as 545,000 people in need.

D'Amato's passion for ending hunger was instilled by her hard-working father, whose modest restaurant had a policy of feeding homeless and hungry people, and whose compassion and generosity still inspire her. She believes people have a right to food, and that letting them go hungry is simply wrong. This drives her vision for GBFB, and frames her message to government, business and community leaders. "Hunger can be solved," she says. "But it will take social and political will, greater awareness and more resources."

With the support of GBFB's dedicated board and staff, and the generosity and commitment of donors and volunteers, D'Amato is leading the implementation of a new and ambitious strategic plan, "End Hunger Here", that will increase food distribution to over 40 million pounds annually, or enough to provide 31 million meals by 2013. That's enough to provide at least one meal a day to those at risk of hunger in eastern Massachusetts.

"Achieving that goal will require everyone to play their role in ending hunger in our community," continues D'Amato. "With our member hunger-relief agencies already working beyond their capacity to meet the region's growing hunger problem, GBFB is expanding its own food distribution programs, and collaborating with public and private partners to provide healthy food to those who earn too much to receive government food assistance, but still can't afford to feed themselves or their families."

"Food banks are evolving to meet ever-increasing needs," she concludes. "We're expanding our capacity, working in innovative and collaborative ways with partners and supporters, and becoming more efficient and effective. With under- and unemployment still too high, this is our future, and what we have to do if we're going to end hunger here."

Click here for Catherine's complete biography.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Carol Tienken

Carol Tienken has been Chief Operating Officer of The Greater Boston Food Bank since 1999. Prior to joining The Food Bank, Tienken was at Polaroid Corporation in Domestic and International Marketing for 18 years. She also was an employee member of the Polaroid Foundation for five years, working on grant responses for the Boston-Area Community Committee. She serves on the board of directors of the Newmarket Business Association and is an active member of its Issues Committee. Tienken grew up in Sub-Saharan Africa as the daughter of an American diplomat and received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and MSJ in Magazine Editorial from Northwestern University.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

David Noymer

David Noymer joined The Greater Boston Food Bank as Chief Financial Officer in July 2009. In this role, he is responsible for Finance and Accounting, along with Information Technology. Prior to joining The Food Bank, Noymer served as CFO for several different service sector companies over the past 22 years. Most recently, he was CFO at Accounting Management Solutions. Previously, he served as CFO at Feinstein Kean Healthcare, Information Mapping, and Clinical Data. Noymer also served as a Director for the Boston Chapter of Financial Executives International from 1999 – 2001. He earned a BSBA in Accounting from American University, and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. Noymer is a CPA in Massachusetts.