Héctor Colón, President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS), was named Nonprofit Executive of the Year at BizTimes Media LLC’s 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Awards on Friday, Nov. 1.

The award is given to a nonprofit leader who demonstrates vision and innovation in advancing the mission of the nonprofit, extensive involvement in a nonprofit and/or creativity in bringing new resources and opportunities to the nonprofit.

Colón brought to LSS years of experience in combining smart business strategies with courageous compassion in order to make the greatest impact on the communities he served.

Leveraging this experience, he and his team addressed operational inefficiencies, making difficult decisions to step away from some programs that no longer served communities as they once had, and focusing efforts on the greatest needs of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. The result has been strategic growth and the ability to serve even more people, including more than 39,000 directly benefiting from LSS services last year.

For more than 135 years, LSS has been a well of resources to turn to for so many. Today the organization is better positioned than ever to achieve its vision of building healthy communities filled with people using their God-given gifts to serve.

Colón’s impact is far-reaching, but it is most directly felt within the walls of LSS, where 850 servant-leaders come together to truly live the mission – Act compassionately. Serve Humbly. Lead Courageously.

“I’m proud of the work my team has done to position LSS for ongoing success in finding solutions that will improve the health and well-being of the communities LSS serves,” Colón said. “I want to continue to find ways for our staff and partners to bring our mission to life: To act compassionately, serve humbly and lead courageously.”

LSS is one of the largest and most experienced health and human services organizations in the Midwest with a vision of healthy communities filled with people using their God-given gifts to serve. LSS is a tax-exempt charitable organization serving nearly 40,000 people annually, offering programs across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan ranging from foster care, counseling and behavioral health services to housing, comprehensive community services and refugee resettlement.

The BizTimes Nonprofit Excellence Awards are designed to shine a light on the community impact of southeastern Wisconsin nonprofits. The program also salutes the work of for-profit organizations, executives and professionals who donate their time, talent and resources to community causes.