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Community Foundation 2019 Board Service Begins July 1

Everything happening at the Community Foundation comes under the control of our Board of amazing community leaders, currently made up of 20 Trustees and 21 Advisory Board members.  This is the Community Foundation Dream Team! Board Chair, Steve Carrick[/caption] Since its inception, the Community Foundation has been privileged to have superb leadership. The tradition is continuing with the election of Steve Carrick as the seventh Chair of the Community Foundation, starting July 1st.  As Senior Vice President of Operations Administration at Heritage Bank of Nevada, Steve has tremendous business experience. He is a third-generation Reno native with nearly 40 years in the banking industry.  Steve is deeply committed to our community and served various roles with local nonprofits, including board chair of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and the Reno Air Race Foundation.  Steve also sings with the Reno Philharmonic Chorus.  During his years on the Community Foundation Board, Steve has proven himself to be a passionate, smart leader who is both intuitive and perceptive.  His thoughtful, quiet leadership style is admired and appreciated by staff and board. With his passion for the community and the Community Foundation, we are looking forward to great things in the years to come. Melcher, Board Vice Chair[/caption]

Kevin Melcher is joining our leadership team as Vice Chair.  Kevin has deep experience in education, in positions from teacher to serving on the Board of Regents.  Over a 28-year career in Elko, Kevin served as Principal of three schools and as a District Administrator.  Kevin is a natural leader and cares deeply about the community. As Vice Chair Kevin will serve on the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, and Chairs the Stewardship Committee which oversees all of the Community Foundation’s grant and scholarship activities.

We tip our hats and applaud long and loud for the outgoing board leaders: Tom Hall, who will continue on the board for another year but who stepped back in as interim chair following the passing of Jim Pfrommer, and Teresa Mentzer, who has served as Vice Chair for the past three years.  We also cheer Barbara Drake as she departs the Board of Trustees to join our esteemed Emeriti Board. Welcome to the Board of Trustees: Dan Ahearn, Elaine Alexander, Bonnie Drinkwater, and Edward Estipona.  They have all been serving on the Advisory Board for a few years, and we are grateful they have agreed to step up to serve as Trustees.  Newly joining the Advisory Board are Steve Aichroth, Dan Dooley, Marcia Growdon, Cheri Hill and Kim Robinson. The Community Foundation formed a Housing Advisory Group to lead our work on low-income housing through the Community Housing Land Trust.  Steve Aichroth, Wendy Alderman, Gary Arthur, David Dahl, Harvey Fennell, Allison Gorelick, Tom Hall, Bob Lissner, Kim Robinson, Michael Schnabel, Grant Sims, and George Summerhill will serve on the Housing Advisory Group. I am honored and humbled to have the support of these people. Indeed, this is a Dream Team if there ever was one.  As we move forward, we will continue to build leadership for our future. It is our goal to be guided by leaders representing a diversity of rural and urban communities, expanded professional backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities.  The Community Foundation Board is composed of people with big abilities, big goals, and big vision. Please join me in welcoming and thanking, our leadership. Now, let’s get some good done! Chris Askin, President, and CEO