Nolan Rollins Becomes New President of Los Angeles Urban League

Los Angeles – Noel Massie, Chair of the Los Angeles Urban League Board of Directors and President, UPS Central California District, announces today a unanimous Board vote for Nolan V. Rollins to become the League’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Rollins will take the helm of the Los Angeles affiliate of the Urban League Movement after five years as President/CEO of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans (ULGNO).

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce the successful conclusion of our nationwide search for the best candidate for the next President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, Mr. Nolan Rollins,” said Massie. “I want to commend the Executive Search Committee and The Hawkins Company for the integrity of this very important selection process over the past four months. With more than two dozen stellar candidates for the position, Nolan rose to the very top as the appropriate choice today to lead this venerable organization forward with impactful and transformational leadership.”

Rollins, an attorney, becomes the seventh President and CEO in the 91-year-old history of the Los Angeles Urban League, one of the most respected and influential nonprofit organizations in the State of California. Rollins will report to Massie and the Board of Directors, leading a more than 100-strong League staff and volunteer team focused in the areas of workforce development, early childhood education and neighborhood transformation models in health, housing, safety, education, and employment. Rollins is relocating to Los Angeles and is expected to assume his new leadership role in February 2013.

"Nolan Rollins is one of the bright young stars of the Urban League Movement,” said Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “His work in New Orleans after Katrina to rebuild the ULGNO, along with his work leading the Young Professionals as their National President uniquely qualifies him to lead the LAUL in this time of opportunity. I congratulate the Chair and entire Board on a great selection. And I pledge to work closely and enthusiastically with Nolan as he prepares to lead one of our most important affiliates into a new era. Congrats to Nolan.”

A native of Baltimore, Md., Rollins began his professional career with the Urban League more than seven years ago as Executive Vice President of the Greater Baltimore affiliate.  In this capacity he developed, directed and implemented all economic and community development strategies positioning the agency to monitor over $3 billion in community development projects and ensuring local, minority and small business participation. Rollins designed and implemented employment and housing strategies to help stabilize the local communities following Hurricane Katrina. During this time, Rollins concurrently served as President of the National Urban League Young Professionals, whereby he served on the National Urban League’s Board of Trustees and participated as a member of the Affiliate Services, Programs and Strategic Planning committees.

“Nolan Rollins is an outstanding Urban Leaguer with a great track record,” said John Mack, Los Angeles Police Commissioner, former Los Angeles Urban League President and National Urban League Trustee. “I have had the privilege of working with Nolan as a colleague and he is a close friend. We are confident that he will be a superb leader for the Los Angeles Urban League, taking it to new heights.”
 
 As the President in New Orleans, Rollins stabilized the agency by creating innovative and direct service programs for real impact while streamlining operations to focus and align with the National Urban League’s core mission. The New Orleans affiliate established sustainable and strategic diverse funding streams and partnerships, becoming the go-to social services organization in the city. Rollins had no roots or history in New Orleans. In five years, he became recognized as one of the top leaders within the New Orleans community; appointed by the mayor co-chair of the search committee for the new police chief in New Orleans and appointed to the Airport Board, where he serves as the chairman.