Rabbi Lennard R. Thal, Vice President Emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). 2009 reciepient of the American Jewish Distinguished Service Award. 
 
Rabbi Thal served as the Vice President of the URJ from 1996 to 2001 when he was promoted to the position of Senior Vice President.  In 2003, he was named Chief Development Officer at the URJ.

Rabbi Thal, who was ordained at HUC-JIR/NY in 1973, served as the Associate Dean of HUC-JIR/LA from 1973 to 1982.  He is a graduate of Princeton University and Stanford University Law School.