About Harry Kay
For over three decades, the Harry Kay Center for Leadership Excellence (HKCLE) has strengthened and connected local Jewish leaders at pivotal moments in their leadership journeys. The flagship program of the HKCLE is the 18-month-long Harry Kay Leadership Institute (HKLI).
The HKLI brings together individuals who are already shaping Jewish and civic life in the Twin Cities, deepening their commitment to sustaining a strong and vibrant Jewish community. Through the program, participants gain a greater understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Jewish communal life, build the skills to lead through complexity and change, and strengthen their engagement with Jewish organizations locally and globally.
What We Do
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Jewish communities are in a period of flux. Established institutions are struggling to keep up with trends in fundraising and business. The makeup of the Jewish community is steadily changing. Though challenging to navigate, these changes will result in a stronger, more diverse Jewish community—if we have capable leadership to guide us.
Today’s successful leader requires different training than in previous generations. There is also a strong focus on the local and international Jewish ecosystem and topics that are relevant and timely for the Jewish community.
Learn More About The Harry Kay Leadership Institute
Through the course of eleven iterations, HKLI has developed and trained over 350 individuals. Armed with leadership tools provided by the program, HKLI alumni have assumed critical leadership roles throughout the Twin Cities Jewish community and beyond. Over time, the curriculum has been revised and re-tooled based upon best leadership development practices and Twin Cities Jewish community needs.
Click here to learn more about the current cohort, or to apply for the next one.
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Over the past 30 years, over 350 people have participated in HKLI. In the past, after the program was complete, the alumni would do what was intended from the program—they would take on leadership roles in the community. We have realized, however, that our job was far from finished. We believe that a strong Jewish community relies on collaboration, and that maintaining leaders’ relationships with each other is integral.
We created the Harry Kay Alumni Network as an opportunity for alumni to reengage with each other during leadership summits, salons, reunions, and other programs.
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Hear from past cohort members about the life-changing experiences they gained from Harry Kay.
Harry Kay
Harry Kay was born in 1917 to Russian Jewish immigrants. He dropped out of school to help support his family, working in a diner. He developed a new way to process potatoes, and in 1953, he moved his family to St. Paul to build a potato processing plant. By the time of his death in 1983, he had created Processed Potatoes Inc., a successful company that employed over 1,000 people.
As Kay became more successful, his Jewish identity became increasingly important to him. He established the Harry Kay Foundation in 1983, which has since provided more than $25 million for a variety of causes in Minnesota and Israel. The foundation supports a wide range of Jewish organizations, including schools, synagogues, and social service agencies. It also provides scholarships to Jewish students and supports programs that promote Jewish identity and heritage. The foundation’s work has made a significant difference in the lives of many people.