Wise Giving Wednesday: Tribute to Cass Wheeler

Hero image for Wise Giving Wednesday: Tribute to Cass Wheeler
calendar icon Jun 25, 2025

Image © American Heart Association

This special edition of Wise Giving Wednesday recognizes Cass Wheeler, a cherished nonprofit sector leader who recently passed away. 

Honoring a Legacy of Leadership and Accountability in the Charitable Sector

Cass served as CEO of the American Heart Association from 1998 to 2008 and was key in helping to consolidate the regional offices of that charity into a more streamlined and efficient structure.

I first met Cass many years ago, during a speaking engagement with the National Health Council, which held meetings for executives from health-related charities. He was approachable, patient, and very knowledgeable.

He strongly believed in the importance and value of charity accountability and ethics. When BBB Wise Giving Alliance launched the BBB Accredited Charity Seal program in March 2003, Cass attended our press conference in Washington, DC, and made sure that American Heart Association was among the first charities to participate in this optional program for charities that meet all of the BBB Charity Standards.

In 2012, after he retired from American Heart Association, Cass joined the BBB Wise Giving Alliance Board of Directors, where he served for six years, the last two as Board Chair. Cass was a leader that helped us grow, evolve, and expand our outreach. We are eternally grateful for his contributions. He had a great friendship with BBB WGA’s previous President & CEO, Art Taylor, which continued long after his board term.

Cass was a helpful and influential leader in the charitable community and will be missed. BBB Wise Giving Alliance extends its heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We were honored to have the opportunity to know him professionally and personally.

Bennett Weiner
President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.