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WATCH: Children’s Home & Aid Chief Discusses ‘Game-Changer’ Christine Leahy, CDW’s Next CEO

The $15 billion-dollar solution provider CDW, ranked No. 5 on the SP 500, has named Christine Leahy as its next CEO. CRNtv recently had the opportunity to learn more about the unique value she’ll bring to the position from her colleagues at Children’s Home & Aid in Illinois, where she sits on the board of trustees.

“Chris was very clear at the beginning. She didn’t have a background in fundraising. She didn’t know a lot about the work or the approaches, but in a very Chris Leahy-style, she took this one full bore,” said CEO Nancy Ronquillo.

Leahy has worked with Children’s Home & Aid for 10 years. In that time, she helped the organization carry out its largest fundraising campaign ever. One of the projects that came out of that was a two-year randomized control trial study that surveyed ways to reduce violence in the lives of kids living in the inner-city neighborhoods in Chicago.

5 Things You Need To Know About Christine Leahy, @CDWCorp's Next CEO: https://t.co/GAQCyFd0Ak #CDW pic.twitter.com/m91pPFifWx

— CRN (@CRN) September 18, 2018

“She is a game-changer as a leader. That has certainly been the case for us at Children’s Home & Aid as our board chair and she very personally passionate about the mission. Anything that Chris says yes to you know that you will have that passion and strategic savvy with the all-in energy she brings to bear.”

Leahy will become the 25th female CEO of a Fortune 500 company when she takes over for Tom Richards in 2019. She currently serves as the company’s chief revenue officer, originally joining the company as general counsel 16-years earlier.

For more of Ronquillo’s interview, watch the video included in this article.