Leading the Henry County Community Foundation to a New Decade
These are exciting times for Indiana community foundations, which are taking more visible leadership roles. Henry County Community Foundation (HCCF) is at the forefront of this trend. The leadership initiative uses a collaborative approach to identify community needs and create a more vibrant and prosperous Henry County.
Leading the charge for 10 years, President and Executive Director, Beverly Matthews, is stepping down at the end of 2020. “I’ve had a wonderful career in communications and philanthropy and I will always be married to this community and the great work of the Foundation because I love it. But it’s time for me to reserve more time for my family and friends,” said Matthews.
Because of Beverly’s impending retirement, the HCCF board formed a search committee to look for her successor and found a familiar face who recently moved back to Henry County. A Blue River Valley High School graduate, Jennifer Fox had worked at the Foundation from 2005-2015 until she accepted a position at her college alma mater, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). Rising to the rank of Director of Annual Giving, Jennifer and her family decided to return to living in Henry County and to their friends and relatives locally.
According to 2020 Board Chairman, Mike Broyles, “The selection committee and the HCCF Board of Directors feel that with Jennifer Fox’s return to the Henry County Community Foundation it will allow us to continue the growth of the Foundation that Beverly Matthews and all the past and present Board members have seen during Beverly’s tenure. So many of us have had the pleasure of working closely with Jennifer during her 10 years at the Foundation that we felt like this was the perfect fit. We were seeking a community-and people-oriented leader to build on a strong base of support and community momentum to work with Beverly through the end of the year,” added Broyles.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to invest in a community that means so much to me,” said Fox. “As a fundraiser, it brings me such joy to be able to match donor passions with a mission and for those donors to be able to fulfill their philanthropic interest through the Foundation.”
A new decade is emerging and the landscape is changing, but the Foundation will remain committed to the people and the Henry County Community. The Foundation is an organization that continues to evolve and invites everyone to participate and be part of this engaged community that was created 35 years ago.