Press Releases
ATLANTA – January 31, 2012 – The American Cancer Society, the nation’s largest voluntary health organization, has hired Jacob “Jay” Ferro Jr. as its Chief Information Officer (CIO). Ferro comes to the Society’s national headquarters most recently from AdCare Health Systems, a recognized innovator in senior living and health care facility management where he served as senior vice president and CIO. In his new role, Ferro will lead the Society’s nationwide Information Technology system in delivering effective and impactful technology support to its mission in creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
“Having a contemporary thought leader in the information technology arena is crucial to our lifesaving mission, and we’re pleased to have Jay on board to serve in this role,” said Gregory P. Bontrager, the Society’s chief operating officer. “Ferro brings with him a wealth of knowledge and leadership in the IT space; and a passion for our mission, having been touched personally by cancer.”
In 2007, Ferro founded the nonprofit group “Priscilla’s Promise” in honor of his late wife who passed away from cervical cancer. Priscilla’s Promise raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and has benefited the American Cancer Society.
Ferro currently serves as vice chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association, where he was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011. Prior to joining AdCare, Ferro was vice president and CIO for Chartis Aerospace (formerly AIG Aviation), a leading global aerospace insurer, where he implemented numerous improvements and managed significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In an earlier role with the AIG Personal Lines subsidiary, Ferro served as Chief Financial Officer for operations and systems and led multiple global IT finance and governance standards initiatives.
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end cancer for good. As a global grassroots force of three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping you stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early, helping you get well by being there for you during and after a diagnosis, by finding cures through groundbreaking discovery and fighting back through public policy. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.