Paul Martodam Receives CCUSA’s Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Award
Every year at the CCUSA Annual Gathering, the Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to social service programming for children. Join us in congratulating Paul Martodam, who will receive this year’s Bishop Sullivan Award at the CCUSA Annual Gathering in St. Louis.
While Paul’s tenure with Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis was much shorter than he had planned, he earned the support of the Archbishop, the Board of Directors, a host of community leaders and donors and the many staff he worked with. Based on more than 35 years of leadership within Catholic Charities in Minnesota and Arizona, he was able to quickly consolidate the strategic thinking that had gone on in the organization and from it developed a strategic plan with the Leadership Team. Many adjustments were also made to deal with the economic downturn, keeping the organization programmatically and financially strong.
Prior to serving with Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, he held leadership positions for 12 years in St. Cloud and moved south to Phoenix, where he served Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Phoenix for 17 years as CEO. During his tenure in Phoenix, the budget of the organization grew from $8 million to $35 million, including nationally recognized innovative programs in prostitution recovery and poverty reduction. Paul served on the national Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities USA from 2005 to 2011, and he continues to serve on the Finance Committee of the Board. Paul also served on the Board of Directors of the Council on Accreditation from 1999 to 2005.
Recently, Minnpost illustrated Paul’s accomplishments with Catholic Charities in St. Paul and Minneapolis as well as his work in Crookston and St. Cloud, MN and Arizona. The article shared Paul’s vision for a united, national effort to end poverty while highlighting his leadership role during the renovation of the Dorothy Day Center, an emergency shelter in St. Paul and the building of Higher Ground, an innovative housing program in Minneapolis. Paul is quoted in the article saying, “We can end poverty. We don’t have poverty because of a lack of resources. It depends on what we set our minds to do.”
Outside of his Catholic Charities work, Paul also brings his compassion into his volunteer work with his church, St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Eagan, MN, an organization who regularly volunteers with Catholic Charities programs. As a faithful and dedicated parishioner, he has willingly shared his gifts with his faith community through project management, negotiating, praying for others, public speaking, spiritual growth, writing, as well as serving as a Eucharistic Minister. Paul is a virtuous and valuable member of each community he shares his talents and passion with. He brings a true and loving dedication to end poverty in our community that is spread throughout the Twin Cities.
