James G. Keane, Managing Partner
Strategic Leadership to Further Your Mission

Jim has over 12 years of leadership experience bringing transformative change to mission-driven organizations. A highly collaborative business partner, Jim knows how to get things done and move your organization forward. He quickly connects with relevant stakeholders, identifies the opportunities and obstacles that matter, builds a plan for forward progress, and implements these solutions as an embedded leader among the team.
Jim's background (detailed below) includes extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, strategy and planning, governance, fundraising, coaching and talent development, public speaking, group facilitation, financings, financial reporting, turnarounds, and mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Jim currently serves as Co-Chair of the Continuing Education Committee of the Turnaround Management Association's Midwest Chapter. He also serves as a member of the Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Advisory Council, the Economic Club of Chicago, the University Club of Chicago, the Chicago Bar Association and the Harvard Club of Chicago. He was recognized by Crain's Chicago Business on its "Who's Who in Chicago Business" lists for 2014 and 2015.
Jim's background (detailed below) includes extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, strategy and planning, governance, fundraising, coaching and talent development, public speaking, group facilitation, financings, financial reporting, turnarounds, and mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Jim currently serves as Co-Chair of the Continuing Education Committee of the Turnaround Management Association's Midwest Chapter. He also serves as a member of the Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Advisory Council, the Economic Club of Chicago, the University Club of Chicago, the Chicago Bar Association and the Harvard Club of Chicago. He was recognized by Crain's Chicago Business on its "Who's Who in Chicago Business" lists for 2014 and 2015.
Keane and Company
Jim formed Keane and Company in late 2015 to pursue his passion for making a difference for mission-driven organizations. In this role he has become the trusted partner of board chairs and CEOs and their teams. His engagements have included helping an international youth-serving nonprofit realign its affiliate governance structure; developing Board training curriculum for member organizations of a nonprofit federation; designing non-GAAP financial reports for a multi-site organization; sustaining the mission of a dissolving nonprofit by structuring an innovative asset transfer and identifying the transferee organization; assisting with post-merger culture integration for two nonprofits with overlapping missions; assisting a mental health care organization in restructuring its operations; and advising boards on best practices in board development and resource development.
Boys & Girls Club of ChicagoJim served as President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago from 2008 to 2015, some of the most difficult times in the organization’s 113 year history. Jim led the organization through a turnaround that restored the organization's liquidity, improved core fundraising by 85%, and significantly improved its mission impact. Key to these results, Jim partnered with BGCC Board champions significantly to strengthen the Board of Directors and to reinvigorate the Board Committee structure.
Jim refocused BGCC on achieving better program quality and on responding more effectively to the evolving needs of the Chicago community. He also created and implemented a data framework for measuring the mission effectiveness of the Clubs, transforming the quality of planning and Club oversight and significantly enhancing stakeholder engagement in site decisions. |
YMCA of Metropolitan ChicagoJim began his career as a nonprofit leader in 2005 when he joined the YMCA of Metro Chicago as Executive Vice President of Housing and Human Services and General Counsel. In that role Jim had P&L responsibility for a $30 million portfolio of the organization's Low Income Housing and Human Services operations. He also oversaw the Real Estate / Construction, Human Resources, and Law Departments.
At the Y, Jim expanded the inner-city mission by opening a new youth center in Humboldt Park. In addition, Jim raised $88 million for the Y's long-term mission through the sale of noncore assets. |
Corporate Law
Prior to entering the nonprofit world, Jim practiced corporate and securities law for over ten years, including significant experience with a wide variety of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, joint ventures and financing and lending transactions for clients ranging from the Fortune 50 to middle-market companies. His practice included senior responsibilities in public company corporate governance, counsel on public disclosures inlcuding the review of financial statements, and mergers & acquisitions.
Teaching
Before his nonprofit leadership career and his law practice, Jim began his professional journey as a high school teacher in the Chicago-land area, where he taught English, economics and history. Since his high school teaching days, he has continued to incorporate his passion for teaching by serving as an instructor and facilitator on leadership, management, and professional development topics.
Educational Background
Jim graduated from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law as a member of the school’s Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College with a concentration in American History and Literature.
Personal
Jim has been happily married to Mary Keane for over 26 years, and Mary and Jim have two children, Patrick (PJ) and Margaret (Meg). Mary is the founder and Managing Editor of Plot & Prose, a business devoted to supporting independent authors. Jim and Mary and their West Highland White Terrier live in the Chicagoland area.
Jim is a lifelong lover of music and enjoys playing guitar and singing with friends and his bandmates in the acoustic band "Seamus." He is also a fitness enthusiast who enjoys running and hiking.