Jonathan Reckford

Jonathan Reckford is a distinguished leadership expert renowned for his outstanding work in the non-profit sector as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. His work with the global Christian housing organisation has helped over 46 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve their homes, winning Jonathan multiple awards, such as the 2020 Golden Halo Award from Engage for Good. Translating the skills learned in the for-profit sector into the non-profit, Jonathan is highly sought after for speaking engagements.

Earning the Morehead Scholarship, Jonathan attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980, graduating with a degree in Political Science in 1984. He began his career as a Financial Analyst for Goldman Sachs before receiving the Henry Luce Scholarship to work in marketing for the Seoul Olympic Organisation Committee. As a competitive rower, he was asked to coach the Korean rowing team in preparation for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. After returning from South East Asia, he attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business to earn an MBA.

In 1989, he joined the Marriot as a Manager in Service Group Strategy and then landed the role of Director of Planning Disney Development at The Walt Disney Company. Following that, he joined Circuit City as SVP of Corporate Planning and Communications before becoming President of Stores Musicland Division at Best Buy. Jonathan became the Executive Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in 2003 and was invited to join Habitat for Humanity International as a CEO in 2005. Credited with increasing the beneficiaries from 125,000 individuals annually to over 7.1 million, Jonathan was named the Most Influential Non-Profit Leader in America by the NonProfit Times.

Moreover, Jonathan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Urban Steering Committee for the World Economic Forum and the Freddie Mac Housing Advisory Council. He is also the author of Creating a Habitat for Humanity and Our Better Angels, a foreword by Jimmy Carter. Sharing his pioneering insight in the non-profit sector and revealing the secret behind his outstanding leadership skills, Jonathon is a highly prized speaker.