CLEVELAND, OH – Cuyahoga Land Bank board appointed Ricardo Le—n as Interim President of the organization after an emergency meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. The organization suffered an unexpected and great loss on Saturday afternoon, when Gus Frangos, the Land Bank’s President and General Counsel, unexpectedly passed away.

Le—n has served as the Land Bank’s Chief Operating Officer for nearly three years. Beyond working side by side with Frangos during this time, Le—n brings with him more than a decade of professional leadership and community development experience, specifically as it relates to Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

“The immediate goal is to maintain continuity of our work and stability,” Le—n said. “Ultimately, though, we want to continue Gus’ decades-long work to bolster our county and its residents and the mission he established at the Land Bank. He left a legacy that everyone in our organization is committed to continuing.”

Board Chair and Mayor of Warrensville Heights, Brad Sellers, has unwavering confidence in Le—n’s ability to lead Cuyahoga Land Bank through this difficult time and transition.

“Ricardo has illustrated his vast experience and steadfast leadership since day one of joining the Land Bank,” Sellers said. “Further, Gus’ leadership focused on fostering growth and giving agency to his team, which will serve Ricardo well as he takes the helm. While we will continue to mourn this loss for a long time, we place full confidence in Ricardo to move the Land Bank’s mission forward.”