ALBANY — Jahkeen Hoke is stepping down from his job as CEO of Business for Good, the innovative nonprofit founded by businessman Ed Mitzen and his wife, Lisa.
But Hoke isn’t saying goodbye.
The Business Review was the first to report Thursday that Hoke was stepping down as CEO and that the Mitzens would be taking over the chief executive responsibilities themselves.
Hoke will remain on the board of directors of the nonprofit after he officially steps down on Sept. 29, so he will still be involved in the organization’s future.
Business for Good promotes social justice through community and business development ventures. The foundation was started by the Mitzens in 2021, a year after Ed sold off a stake in his Saratoga Springs marketing firm, Fingerpaint, to a private equity firm.
Among its endeavors, Business for Good acquired the iconic Hattie’s restaurant in Saratoga Springs in 2021 and is currently opening a new location at the former Lombardo’s restaurant in Albany’s South End, a building that the foundation owns. All profits from Hattie’s now go toward community groups that focus on hunger and food insecurity problems.
The news of Hoke’s plan to leave the CEO position came the same day he was awarded the Beacon of Light award by the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region.
In a phone interview Friday, Hoke called the Mitzens the most innovative entrepreneurs in the region and said he learned so much about business and philanthropy by helping lead the new foundation for them.
“Right now I’m just ready to grow my wings and take flight,” Hoke said.
Hoke has a real estate portfolio and also runs his own nonprofit called 4th Family that works to “instill a sense of belonging, trust and empowerment in young people” in underserved communities. Hoke will be spending more time on expanding that initiative. But he is also glad to remain on the Business for Good board.
“I still want to be a part of that,” Hoke said.
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