Our Leadership
- Charles O. Kaufman, President
- Seth Riklin, Chairman of the Executive
- Brad Adolph, Senior Vice President
- Scott D. Knapp, Senior Vice President
- Roberto M. Nul, Senior Vice President
- Rebecca Anne Saltzman, Senior Vice President
- Stéphane Teicher, Senior Vice President
- Morris Tobias, Senior Vice President
- A. Michael Gellman, Treasurer
- William K. Peirez, Chief Justice
Charles O. Kaufman, President
Charles O. Kaufman, a Dallas native, is the third generation of his family active in B’nai B’rith. He’s been a leader in the organization since 1980 and has served at the local, national and international levels, starting as the president of a B’nai B’rith district composed of seven Southern states. He’s represented B’nai B’rith around the world at the United Nations in New York, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva and at UNESCO in Paris; and in Texas at the state legislature, testifying on behalf of anti-BDS legislation, which overwhelmingly passed both houses and was signed into law.
Kaufman has spearheaded B’nai B’rith disaster relief efforts across Texas in recent years from hurricanes, tornadoes and floods that devastated various communities. In 1992, he initiated and promoted a petition that generated more than 10,000 signatures calling for the freedom of Syrian Jews under the rule of Hafez Assad. B’nai B’rith subsequently worked through its office at the United Nations and with other groups to secure the emigration of thousands of Syrian Jews. In his professional career, Kaufman is currently a senior faculty member in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University. He also consults as a public relations executive and media strategist. The author of two books, Kaufman was a former business editor, reporter and newspaper columnist. His wife, Vonne is a retired audiologist. Their son, Brian lives in New York City; and daughter Heather and her husband, Avi Rasowsky live in Houston with their three children. Kaufman has degrees from Northwestern University and The University of Texas at Austin. He has also worked on behalf of the Jewish community in various capacities, from religious organizations to Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, AIPAC and the Levi Hospital of Hot Springs, Arkansas. 
Seth J. Riklin, Chairman of the Executive
A two-time B’nai B’rith treasurer and longtime member of the Board of Governors and the Executive Board of Directors, Seth J. Riklin chairs the Executive Board of Directors, serves as the liaison to B’nai B’rith leaders in the United States. He has chaired the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services and its Senior Housing Committee. Still an active board member, Riklin has served as the president of the B’nai B’rith Goldberg Towers, a 300-unit federally subsidized apartment building for low income seniors, located in Houston. Riklin’s aunt was a tenant at Goldberg Towers, and it was one of the reasons he decided to join B’nai B’rith, the largest national Jewish sponsor of low-income housing for seniors. Riklin’s efforts are also inspired by his father, the late Sam J. Riklin, who served as president of the San Antonio B’nai B’rith lodge. His father was a leader in numerous charities in San Antonio, Texas. He has also been inspired by his uncle, Arthur Riklin, who served as the president of the San Antonio B’nai B’rith Lodge and has been active at the national level of AIPAC for many years. Formerly a practicing attorney and accountant, he is the president and CEO of Hill Country Wind Power, L.P., a wind and solar energy developer in Texas that has developed more than a gigawatt of electricity generation projects. Outside of B’nai B’rith, Riklin is deeply involved in his community. He is a past member of Sugar Land Rotary Club and Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, where he was on the Government Relations Committee. Riklin is a graduate of the Sugar Land Citizens Police Academy and in 2000 he graduated from the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce leadership class. Riklin is an avid pilot and served as both a captain and aviator in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. He earned the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Airport Support Network National Volunteer Award in October 2007 for his work at the Sugar Land Airport. Riklin received his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and bachelor’s degree in accounting from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Brad Adolph, Senior Vice President
Brad Adolph sits on B’nai B’rith International’s Executive Board of Directors and chairs the organization’s Fundraising Committee. He recently served as the B’nai B’rith Midwest Regional president and is also a past president of the Chicago-area B’nai B’rith Sports Lodge. During his time with B’nai B’rith, Adolph has met with world leaders, showing support for Israel at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva and at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris. Adolph is an active community leader, having served on the boards of Israel Sports Center for the Disabled and PADS of Lake County. He currently serves as an advisor to the president and board of the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Chicago. Professionally, Adolph has enjoyed a four-decades-long career in the corporate branding industry, providing promotional products to small businesses, Fortune 100 companies and companies in between. He is married and has twin sons and two grandchildren. Scott D. Knapp, Senior Vice President
Scott D. Knapp is a member of the Executive Board of Directors and chairs B’nai B’rith Connect, formerly known as the Young Leadership Network. As an active participant in B'nai B'rith's work, Knapp earned the 2018 Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award, named for the youngest person to achieve the office of international president of B’nai B’rith. The award goes to individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B’nai B’rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership program. The honor has proven a good measure of future achievement in B’nai B’rith, as many presidents and top organizational leaders have won the Label A. Katz award.
In March 2017, Knapp participated in the Kakehashi Project – Japan's Friendship Ties, which invited members from the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership Network (YLN) to Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kobe, to soak up the culture, learn about the country’s history and gain a greater understanding of Japan. Additionally, Knapp has served on the B’nai B’rith Executive Board of Directors and as a Board member of the South Florida chapter of YLN. Knapp is very involved with the B’nai B’rith Justice Unit in south Florida, which provides networking opportunities for local attorneys and judges in the area. In the past, the Unit has provided support to Jewish Adoption & Foster Care Options (JAFCO), residents at Hatikvah House in Coral Spring, Florida and mentored law students. Knapp has served as the Unit’s president, treasurer and board member. Professionally, Knapp is an equity partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP in Fort Lauderdale. Knapp has also been involved with the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) since 1998 and has served as a member, regional governor, chapter advisor, member of the Supreme Board of Governors (International Board of Directors) and currently serves as the international secretary. Roberto M. Nul, Senior Vice President
Roberto M. Nul serves as the Senior Vice President from Latin America, an office he also held from 2009-2012. Nul’s history with B’nai B’rith began in 1969 when he and his wife, Vicky, joined B’nai B’rith Argentina Young Couples. Throughout the next decade Nul became a member and eventually president of Shalom Lodge. Nul’s expertise in leadership earned him two awards: District 26 B’nai B’rith Argentina Merit Award: “Al Merito Beneberithiano” in 2005 and the Richard Heideman President Award: “The Best District President” in 2002. Additionally, Nul has served in several leadership roles including district president, district mentor, B’nai B’rith Executive Board of Directors member, B’nai B’rith Leadership chair and the B’nai B’rith Strategic Planning Committee.
Nul has also received an honorary fellowship from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,and has served as president of Argentina Friends of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is also a volunteer and member of the Argentina Government Delegation to the Holocaust International Task Force. Professionally, Nul has been president of Franklin Covey Argentina since 2001. He has three children and six grandchildren. Rebecca Anne Saltzman, Senior Vice President
Saltzman is on the Executive Board of Directors, has served as the marketing chair and is the immediate past chair of the Young Leadership Network. She also chairs the organization’s Disaster Relief Committee. In 2012, Saltzman earned the Label A. Katz award, an honor for individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B’nai B’rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership program. The prestigious prize has proven a good measure of future achievement in B’nai B’rith, as many presidents and top organizational leaders have won the Label A. Katz award. Saltzman’s father, Gary P. Saltzman, the immediate past president of B’nai B’rith International, is also a Label A. Katz winner, making the father-daughter duo the only legacy pair to win the prestigious prize.
Growing up in a B’nai B’rith family set Rebecca Saltzman on a path to become a Jewish leader in her community. Throughout her time serving the organization, following her years of involvement in previous B’nai B’rith programs, Teen Connection, BBYO and Hillel, she has increasingly taken on programs, initiatives and leadership roles locally, nationally and internationally. As a member of B’nai B’rith Denver, Saltzman has worked with the city’s less fortunate, organizing toy drives for kids at the Kunsberg School for Chronically Ill Children and a gift box program for people to sponsor homeless families at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. She served on the B’nai B’rith Denver’s board of directors as chair of the Young Professional and Outreach Committee and as vice president of Programming. Saltzman also has played a significant role increasing membership and boosting fundraising and programming on the local and national levels. Saltzman was appointed to the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors in 2009 and Executive Board of Directors in 2012. She has also served as a B’nai B’rith delegate to the World Zionist Organization in Jerusalem 2009-2012. Saltzman resides in Colorado with her school-age son, Ori. She works as a licensed professional counselor in her private practice and as a crisis therapist for Aurora Mental Health Center. Stéphane Teicher, Senior Vice President
As Senior Vice President from Europe, and as Chair of the International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy, Stéphane Teicher serves on the Executive Board of Directors.
Teicher's history with B’nai B’rith spans nearly four decades. He became a B’nai B’rith member in 1979 and founded the TSEDEK Lodge in Paris with his wife, Betty. He was elected president in 1981 and 1982 and again in 2012 and 2013. In 2015, Teicher and his wife also helped found the HANOUKA Lodge in Paris, where he served as its first president. Additionally, Teicher is a permanent representative of B’nai B’rith to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris and has also advocated on behalf of B’nai B’rith for Israel at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Teicher has helped organize meetings with Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay and former Director-General Irina Bokova. He has also participated in UNESCO’s NGO forums in Querétaro, Mexico; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Tunis, Tunisia. Teicher has held several leadership positions within the organization including, B’nai B’rith France vice president, lodge president, district officer and a member of the Executive Board of Directors and Board of Governors. He has also been a member of the B’nai B’rith French Bureau of International Affairs since 2010, and an advisor to B’nai B’rith France on international relations. Teicher has also served as a member of the District 19 Executive Committee (Continental Europe) from 1984 to 1990,and is a past member of the Executive Committee of B’nai B’rith Europe 2016/2018. Teicher also earned the 1988 Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award, named for the youngest person to achieve the office of international president of B’nai B’rith. The award goes to individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B’nai B’rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership program. The honor has proven a good measure of future achievement in B’nai B’rith, as many presidents and top organizational leaders have won the Label A. Katz award. Teicher retired in 2016 as the president and general manager of several trade associations and European business federations from the paper and packaging industry. Morris Tobias, Senior Vice President
Prior to joining the Executive Board of Directors of B’nai B’rith, Morris Tobias served as president of District 21 (Australia/New Zealand) since October 2013, completing his term in October 2019.
He has served on the Victorian B’nai B’rith Council for a number of years and was president of the Melbourne Mitzvah Lodge for two years. Tobias has travelled with B’nai B’rith twice to attend Triennial Conferences. Additionally, Tobias has served as a leader of two Masonic Lodges and was president of the Melbourne PC users group, which was the largest computer users group worldwide with more than 11,000 members. 
A. Michael Gellman, Treasurer
A. Michael Gellman is an independent fiscal and financial strategist for nonprofit organizations and a founding principal partner for Fiscal Strategies “4” Nonprofits, LLC where the primary focus is helping legacy organizations and new organizations build and achieve a sustainable and financially healthy future. Gellman was a former 20-year Shareholder for Rubino & Company, Chartered, CPA’s and Consultants. He has more than 35 years’ experience in nonprofit fiscal, financial and accounting systems working as a chief financial, fiscal and management consultant where he has focused on specialized management and advisory services for trade and professional associations, public charities and endowment-based foundations. Gellman has also developed comprehensive budget and projection-based systems in support of senior management and organizational leadership. Gellman has been designing, installing, interpreting and teaching budget and projection-based systems and financial management systems for over 30 years. He has conducted numerous seminars and has written articles on budgeting, reserve and investment policies, financial management, fiscal sustainability, leading economic indicators for nonprofits, and the impact on governance and transparency and accountability. Organizations and institutions he has spoken before include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPAs), Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) and numerous nationally recognized nonprofit organizations. Gellman teaches courses and has made presentations for Georgetown University, George Washington University, Virginia Tech, State of Maryland Nonprofit Financial Management and Fund-raising Workshops, Mayor’s Office District of Columbia, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management (IOM), Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, Center for Nonprofit Innovation, Volunteers of America, National Urban League, United States Conference on Aids and many other nonprofit organizations. In addition to his distinguished career inside the firm and within B’nai B’rith, he served as president of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs in 2001 and received the group’s Impact Award in 2012 for successfully launching the Academy, which provides a pathway for new nonprofit industry professionals to learn, attend conferences and connect with mentors, and serves as President Emeritus. He has also served as chair of Greater Washington Society of CPAs Not-For-Profit Committee and chair of the Annual Not-For-Profit Organizations Symposium. He has also served on the Finance & Administration Section Council of the American Society of Association Executives. Gellman also sits on the board of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy. 
William K. Peirez, Chief Justice
William K. Peirez of Great Neck, N.Y., joined B’nai B’rith International more than five decades ago. He has had served as the elected Chief Justice of the B’nai B’rith Court of Appeals since 2009, having previously served as an appointed associate justice for many years and acting chief justice in 2008 and 2009. Peirez has also served as president of the B’nai B’rith MetroNorth region, and has been a longtime member of the Board of Governors and the Executive Board of Directors. He has held a wide range of positions at B’nai B’rith, including chairing the Evaluation and Monitoring Committee and the B’nai B’rith Camps Committee. He’s been B’nai B’rith’s liaison to a committee of regional and community leaders, and has served as an international vice president. In 1980, Peirez won the prestigious Label A. Katz Outstanding Young Leader Award, which is given to individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B'nai B'rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B'nai B'rith Young Leadership program. He served on a committee to help choose the 2009 Label A. Katz winners. Peirez is also a retired attorney who specialized in real estate, landlord and tenant law, contracts, corporate law, partnership law, buying and selling of businesses and wills. He currently is honorary vice president of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck. |
Past Presidents
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