New
York City – Michael Rukin, who serves as CEO of Concord Hill Group
Trust, a technology investment firm based in Boston, has been named
first vice chair of the board of directors of HIAS, the Hebrew
Immigrant Aid Society. With offices on five of the world’s continents
and headquartered in New York City, HIAS has helped to rescue and
resettle more than 4.5 million refugees since it began operations in
1881.

The first vice chairmanship of the board at HIAS is the penultimate
position leading to that of chair of the board. Rukin is expected to
assume that position in June of this year, when the board traditionally
names its chair.

“At a time when world events have become particularly dynamic,
Michael Rukin brings a unique perspective to HIAS,” says Jerome Teller,
chair of the board. “His professional background is a good compliment
to the backgrounds of our diverse board, and his community service
record shows strong involvement in the Jewish community as well as in
migration issues.”

Rukin has been active in local, national and international Jewish
organizations for the past three decades, including the Combined Jewish
Philanthropies in Boston, where he was chairman of the board from 1996
to 1999.  He led the effort of the then Council of Jewish Federations
to establish Hillel: the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, whose board
of directors he chaired from 1995 to 1998.  He has also served on the
boards and executive committees of United Jewish Communities, the Union
for Reform Judaism, and the Joint Commission on Social Action of Reform
Judaism. 

An early activist in the Soviet Jewry movement, Rukin served on the
boards of the National Conference for Soviet Jewry and the Union of
Councils for Soviet Jewry.  In Israel he has chaired the board of
overseers of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and served on the
board of governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.  He holds a BEE
degree from the City College of New York and an MSEE from Northeastern
University.  He was the founder and CEO of Analytical Systems
Engineering Corporation, a pioneer in the fields of radio navigation
and physical security systems. 

“We are truly looking forward to working with Michael,” says Gideon
Aronoff, president and CEO of HIAS. “He joins the ranks of some rather
esteemed directors over our 125-year history.”