New on the Job: Henry L. Berman, Chief Executive, Association of Small Foundations

Background: Mr. Berman, 58, spent much of his career as a consultant producing promotional and educational films for nonprofits and Fortune 50 companies. In 2003, a family friend, Edith Glick Shoolman, left him in charge of the foundation she had created through her estate.

Why he took the job: The Association of Small Foundations helped him and his co-trustee at Ms. Shoolman’s fund figure out how to approach their work when they started. A board member of the association since 2008, he’s been serving as its interim leader since last summer and says he’s been thrilled to help provide that same support to others.

Why he was hired: Among other reasons, his marketing savvy will be useful in helping to attract new members, says Marlene Fluharty, executive director of the Americana Foundation and former board chair of the Association of Small Foundations.

What he’ll tackle: With grant money in shorter supply, many of the association’s members are grappling with how to pare the number of charities they support. Mr. Berman says small foundations need help making wise picks. “When there’s a lot of money, sometimes you can give to two or three organizations with similar missions, and maybe one is a lot better than the others,” he says. He also says he expects to announce at least one new partnership soon with another membership group.

Education: He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Ithaca College, in N.Y., master’s and doctorate degrees in education from Boston University, and a certificate in business and management from Harvard University Extension School.

His salary: He declined to reveal it.

What he’s reading: Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson; The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English, by Roy Peter Clark; and Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead, by Ray D. Madoff.