With his rocky start as a high school dropout, you could be forgiven for thinking Eliyohu Mintz would never get far in life. But that’s only if you never met his steely determination, ravenous ambition and brilliant creative mind. Largely self-taught, Eliyohu’s innate leadership qualities and marketing genius allowed him to grow Kars4Kids from a small local outfit to the nationally recognized organization and car donation program it now is.

Eliyohu began his fundraising career early; at age 9, he was already organizing carnivals and selling popcorn to raise money for his father’s charity work. As he matured, so did his fundraising techniques. Working with a tightknit group of dedicated volunteers, Eliyohu developed his father’s work in the Jewish community into a network of charity programs nationwide, including Kars4Kids, a national nonprofit that funds educational and youth mentorship programs, and Oorah, a family outreach organization, where Mintz continues to serve as CEO.

Despite a successful career in nonprofit governance and his reputation as a savvy business and marketing strategist, Eliyohu Mintz prefers to lead from behind, keeping a low profile to allow the volunteers and staff who power his organizations to take the spotlight. Reserved by nature, Eliyohu is never one to take credit for the success of his organizations.

Though he personally shies from the limelight, Eliyohu leads his organizations transparently. Annual financial filings, mission statements and similar information donors care about are published online, and quarterly e-newsletters keep donors and stakeholders informed.

Though much of his time is spent in the corner office, Eliyohu enjoys being just one of the guys on the ground. In fact, he’s happiest in camp with the horses, the peacocks and the camels- and of course, the happy kids.