GuideStar’s Top Executive Steps Down in Search of ‘Next Adventure’

Why he’s leaving: Bob Ottenhoff, 62, who for nearly a decade has led GuideStar, the nonprofit online publisher of data on charities, announced plans last month to step down. He says he felt the organization was in great shape, making it a good time to leave. He plans to stay until the end of the year to help his successor, for whom a search is underway.

Biggest accomplishment: Developing a sustainable financial approach. Today, GuideStar has a $12-million budget, nearly all from fees for its services and sales of products. When Mr. Ottenhoff started his job, all the support came from a handful of foundations. Now, the money comes largely from businesses and others that want to dig deeply into the nonprofit’s database.

Other milestones: Mr. Ottenhoff oversaw the purchase of two nonprofit organizations, Philanthropedia and Social Actions, allowing GuideStar to develop new tools and products to sell.

Biggest challenge: Lack of capital. Support from foundations helped GuideStar when it was founded in 1994, but Mr. Ottenhoff found it difficult to get reliable sources of revenue during its growth phase. The organization had to take out loans to survive.

Previous jobs: Mr. Ottenhoff has spent most of his career in public broadcasting and technology. Before joining GuideStar he was chief operating officer of the Public Broadcasting Service for nine years and head of VT Lynx, a telecommunications company. He was also executive director of the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, and he founded a jazz radio station in New York.

Education: He holds a bachelor’s degree from Calvin College in political science and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.

Salary: $345,000, which includes benefits and a bonus

Other nonprofit ties: Mr. Ottenhoff serves on the boards of the Grameen Foundation and Write on Sports.

What’s next: Mr. Ottenhoff doesn’t plan to retire soon or “take any time off,” he says, adding that he’s looking for big challenges, like working with startups or fixing troubled organizations. “I want to jump to the next adventure.”