SPRINGFIELD, Ohio —Martin J. Uhle, class of 1985, was recently named interim superintendent with the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association (CLHSA), which operates two schools in Lutheran East and Lutheran West in Cleveland, Ohio.
Uhle, who is also executive director of the Pierstorf Memorial Fund in Cleveland and current member of the Wittenberg Board of Directors, was chosen for his multi-faceted executive and financial management experience, as well as his lifelong commitment to the Cleveland Lutheran community and the mission of ministry.
For him, life must be in balance where making a living and leading a meaningful life go hand-in-hand.
“I was cutting grass at 10 for money and don't recall a time when I was not working. To stay focused on balance, I keep a picture of a rowboat in my office. A rowboat will only go straight if you pull both oars evenly. One oar is my life with family, friends, church and community, and the other represents my work. I believe people need both of these to make forward progress and live a healthy, fulfilling life. I am not a good retiree by any standard definition.”
Uhle, who resides in Rocky River with his wife, Laura, received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Wittenberg University and his master’s degree from Baldwin Wallace in 1988. He also minored in political science and economics, and was active in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
“Wittenberg was a place of discovery for me,” he said. “My father, John, was in the class of 1959, and my brother and two sons are Witt graduates. We all found unique paths through life aided by a solid liberal arts background.”
After graduating from Wittenberg, Uhle was hired as a branch assistant manager with the Cleveland Trust that became KeyBank after several mergers. He left there in 1997 as a senior vice president in payment services.
“The next phase of my career was entrepreneurial and very rewarding financially,” he said. “In 2010, I left the ‘for profit’ workforce and concentrated on working with non-profits. I purposefully opened myself up to opportunities like the Lutheran High School Association and other non-profits including the Wittenberg Board of Directors once I reached financial independence.”
Uhle’s project management experience includes mergers and acquisitions, government compliance, capital campaign management, and academic-focused strategic planning centered on marketing, enrollment growth, budget management and succession planning.
Uhle will provide both day-to-day operational management as well as special project guidance to the CLHSA thereby allowing the Board of Directors to focus on strategic planning and the eventual search for a permanent successor.
