Robert Spitzer of Mercer Island, Washington, was elected president of B’nai B’rith International by the organization’s International Board of Governors during its Triennial meeting.

Spitzer immediately begins a three-year term leading the world’s oldest and most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization.

As president, Spitzer plans to enhance grassroots engagement and further strengthen ties between American and global B’nai B’rith members, continuing the organization’s vital work addressing rising anti-Semitism and supporting Israel.

“In its 182-year history, B’nai B’rith has been one of the Jewish world’s leading community builders,” Spitzer said. “Given the turmoil in the Middle East and the rise of anti-Semitism around the world, it’s work is more important now that at any other time since the Holocaust.”

Spitzer previously served as senior vice president and most recently as chairman of the B’nai B’rith Strategic Planning Committee. He is a former president of B’nai B’rith Seattle, where he chaired a popular monthly Jewish business and professional breakfast. The son of former B’nai B’rith President Jack Spitzer, Rob Spitzer aspired to join B’nai B’rith’s leadership from an early age, having grown up in a household where B’nai B’rith’s values were a familiar part of life.

With nearly 30 years of active involvement in the Seattle Jewish Federation, Spitzer has held numerous leadership roles, including campaign chair, president/chairman and currently as vice chair of the board. He has served as trustee for 10 years and president of the governing board of the King County Library System, one of the largest public library systems in the United States. Spitzer is the chairman of ProLab Health & Beauty, Ltd., a contract manufacturing business specializing in health and beauty products.

Spitzer is a lawyer and real estate developer, and for 30 years was a shareholder at the law firm Foster Garvey PC. He has more than 30 years of experience developing multi-family real estate.

Spitzer worked in Washington, D.C., for U.S. Sen. John Tunney in his Senate office, as well as in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. After law school, Spitzer clerked for the chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court.

Spitzer is a Wexner Heritage Fellow, earned a B.A. with Honors from Stanford University and holds a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

The complete list of officers elected at the Triennial Meeting of the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors: President Robert Spitzer, Mercer Island, Washington; Vice Chairman Bruce Pascal, Potomac, Maryland; Senior Vice presidents Jack Berkowitz, Goshen, New York; Millie Magid, Miami; Dan Tartakovski, Mexico City; Jacobo Wolkowicz, Montevideo; and Eric Engelmayer, Luxembourg. Michael Gellman of Potomac, Maryland, was re-elected treasurer; and David Geller, South Florida, was elected chief justice.