From Foundation to Foundation

Renay Blumenthal is joining the Marcus Foundation, Inc., on Nov. 1 as vice president. She will work directly for Foundation President Jay Kaiman. As president of Grady Health Foundation, Blumenthal brings with her a wealth of knowledge in the medical arena. She will work across all portfolios to assist in fulfilling Bernie Marcus’ vision as well as create new initiatives to continue to advance his mission, Kaiman said.

At Grady, Blumenthal led all aspects of its foundation, including setting its strategic direction, coordinating all fundraising activities and providing community outreach. Before Grady, she was senior vice president of public policy at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Recognized as one of Georgia’s top female lobbyists, she advised top elected officials, including former governors Roy Barnes, Zell Miller and Sonny Perdue and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.

In her new role, Blumenthal joins a small staff of six dedicated employees. “The Marcus Foundation adheres to a philosophy of maintaining a very low overhead while keeping its grant and investment impact high,” Kaiman said.

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The Foundation focuses its giving in five core initiatives:

• Children’s welfare, education and development, mostly in the Greater Atlanta area.
• Giving back to the Georgia community.
• Promoting the free enterprise system, strengthening democracy and supporting veterans.
• Supporting Jewish causes and continuity in Atlanta, throughout the nation and in Israel.
• Investing in unique and entrepreneurial approaches to healthcare and helping to solve medical issues that affect large numbers of Americans that cannot attract funding from typical channels.