Maria Miller named President & CEO of The War Memorial
After a thorough search, The War Memorial has announced Maria Miller as the President and CEO, after serving nearly seven months in an interim role. The Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association Board of Directors placed a vote of confidence in Miller to guide the Grosse Pointe Farms nonprofit organization for the foreseeable future.
In January, it was announced that Miller, previously the Chief Financial Officer, would be the interim President & CEO. She was named to that role upon the departure of former President & CEO Charles Burke. During her interim status, Miller was able to showcase her leadership skills by having successful Memorial Week celebrations beginning with the return of the annual fundraising event, An Evening of Red, White, & Blue.
The patriotic celebrations also included a formal dedication ceremony for the new sculpture honoring the D-Day operation of WWII, Les Braves II: At Water’s Edge and their annual Memorial Day event honoring Grosse Pointe residents who gave their lives in military conflicts.
“We hired a search firm and were presented with numerous very talented candidates for this role,” Dr. Donna Hoban, chair of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association Board of Directors, said. “However, in the end, we decided that Maria could best lead our organization forward in the positive directions in which it has been headed.”
Miller joined The War Memorial team in March of 2022 having been a financial leader in the nonprofit sector for 20 years, most recently as Vice President of Finance at Beaumont Health. At Beaumont, Miller oversaw finance for the Beaumont Grosse Pointe campus, successfully leading the hospital to favorable financial results on operations. Maria additionally led finance for the system’s diversified operations, including up to a dozen of distinct off-campus business lines worth $700 million.
Situated on the grounds of the historic Alger Estate in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, The War Memorial serves an estimated 250,000 individuals with over 3,000 functions annually. Programming for the 501c3 nonprofit includes honoring veterans, engaging experiences for adults and children, community events and celebrations, and premier hospitality services. With these offerings, The War Memorial is a unique, dynamic and thought-provoking hub for southeast Michigan with a mission to be a patriotic, cultural, and community leader.