United Way of Greater St. Louis (UWGSL) announced that Ryan Davis, Office Managing Partner of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s St. Louis Office, and Chris Zimmerman, President and CEO of Business Operations for the St. Louis Blues, will serve as co-chairs of its 2026 annual community campaign.
“United Way’s long history of helping over 1 million individuals and families overcome everyday challenges throughout the St. Louis region is an inspiring testament to how much they care about helping people, and I am honored to serve alongside Chris Zimmerman in co-chairing the 2026 community campaign,” said Davis. “As their campaign co-chair, I will look to help lead the effort in engaging supporters to raise crucial funds and make a collective impact for our region.”
United Way equips over 150 local nonprofits with vital funding and training resources to keep the region’s safety net responsive and resilient. Each year, United Way makes a difference in the lives of over one million people in Missouri and Illinois— that’s 1 in 3 people across 16 counties supported by programs, services, and initiatives that help meet their immediate and long-term needs.
At the center of this work are two key community resources, 211 Powered by United Way of Greater St. Louis and the United Way Volunteer Center. 211 is a United Way-funded, 24/7 public referral line designed to connect people to resources and services available near them. And the United Way Volunteer Center (STLVolunteer.org) connects people to causes they care about to help others and has been mobilizing volunteers for nearly a century.
“Throughout my professional career, I’ve regularly been in awe at the ability of sports to unite communities and help them transcend differences or challenges. I get a similar feeling from United Way and their work to build a stronger St. Louis region by helping individuals and families here thrive,” said Zimmerman. “That is why I am honored to serve as campaign co-chair and join the many business and civic leaders who partner with United Way to raise critical funds that strengthen our city and region.”
United Way of Greater St. Louis remains one of the top United Way campaigns in the nation, with local fundraising results exceeding $3 billion over more than 100 years. These dollars fund nonprofits, support people, and help stabilize our communities.
“This is such an exciting time of year for our United Way because through our community campaign, we have an opportunity to support our region in a much greater way, and we are honored to have Ryan and Chris at the forefront of this effort,” said Michelle D. Tucker, President and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. “We all have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through this campaign. When we work together around a shared commitment to help others, our neighbors succeed.”
