ST. LOUIS – LaunchCode announced today that Jeff Mazur will become the organization’s new executive director, effective August 14. Mazur joined the organization in 2015 and currently serves as Vice President of Partnerships for the St. Louis-based tech nonprofit.
“We are excited for Jeff to bring his experience and ability to this important role. Jeff has added great value to LaunchCode by expanding our geographic footprint and building relationships with private and public sector partners in St. Louis and around the country,” Jim McKelvey, LaunchCode Founder and Board President, said. “We expect that LaunchCode will continue to thrive under Jeff’s leadership.”
Mazur started as LaunchCode’s Director of Public Partnerships in September 2015, becoming Vice President of Public Partnerships in 2016 and Vice President of Partnerships in early 2017. Prior to LaunchCode, Mazur served as Executive Director of the Missouri/Kansas council of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and as a Senior Adviser to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.
“LaunchCode is a superb organization that provides innovative solutions to a huge tech talent problem. In this role, my goal is for LaunchCode to continue growing its impact by training and starting tech careers for even more people,” Mazur said. “I am honored to have the confidence of LaunchCode’s board and I’m excited for the opportunity to lead an amazing team.”
Mazur replaces current Executive Director Mark Bauer, who has led the organization for the past year. Bauer’s son suffered a serious spinal cord injury earlier this year and his departure will leave him better situated to be with his family and assist in his son’s amazing recovery. Before assuming the role of Executive Director, Bauer served as Vice President of Operations for more than a year.
“Mark Bauer has led the organization through a period of substantial growth and evolution,” said McKelvey, “and we are grateful for his important contributions. Mark’s dedication to LaunchCode, even at a time of personal difficulty, is a testament to his commitment to our mission and profound professionalism. He will be missed.”
In the first six months of 2017, under Bauer’s leadership, LaunchCode started 173 tech careers through apprenticeship placements, an increase of nearly 70 percent from the 103 apprenticeship placements made over the same period in 2016. Earlier this year, Bauer oversaw LaunchCode’s largest placement in history, as 23 apprentices were placed with a single employer partner at one time.
LaunchCode is a nonprofit that builds a skilled workforce by creating pathways for driven people seeking careers in technology. In less than four years, LaunchCode has started more than 800 careers in tech and provided free tech training to thousands of learners across the country.
