Jonathan L. Wiesner served for 25 years on the board of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and is currently Chairman Emeritus. The IRC is one of the world’s leading humanitarian relief organizations. In over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities, it provides clean water, shelter, health care, education and empowerment support to refugees and displaced people. Wiesner helped direct the growth of the IRC from an annual budget of $70 million in 1995 to $800 million in 2018. It is recognized for its efficiency by Forbes, Charity Navigator and others. He has visited most of IRC’s programs, both overseas and in the U.S.
Among his leadership positions in the apparel industry, Mr. Wiesner was, most recently, CEO and owner of Sustainable Apparel Group/Threads 4 Thought. “Apparel is the second dirtiest industry after oil,” he said. “So I made it my mission to build sustainability into it, utilizing sustainable materials and manufacturing processes.” Wiesner also Chairs the Board of the New York Region of the Trust for Public Land and is Chairman Emeritus of the Westchester Land Trust. Both organizations focus on conserving land and providing communities with access to parks and open space.