CEO tenure in nonprofit community‐based organizations: a multiple case study

This study focused on the issue of CEO tenure in three non‐profit community‐based organizations – each with an at least 25‐year long CEO tenure – located in two US northeastern urban centers. Using a questionnaire and a semi‐structured interview, we investigated reasons for the CEOs’ extraordinarily long tenures in office: the CEOs themselves, their organizations, and the environments in which they operated. The following were among the data findings re the CEOs: they were founders of their organization; were power brokers within the political community; managed their staff and boards of directors; possessed a vision and continued to initiate new projects; exhibited a passion for work; and had a succession plan. Some issues for future research are presented.