Community Foundation Board of Directors announces executive search partner

ATLANTA – November 20, 2019 – Last week, CEO Alicia Philipp announced her plans to retire from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta by the end of 2020 after 42 years of extraordinary service and leadership. The announcement was made during keynotes at National Philanthropy Day and at the Atlanta Regional Commission’s annual State of the Region event. The Foundation Board and staff worked with BoardSource (Robin Stacia) to prepare for this transition for a couple of years with a robust, engaging and collaborative journey through research, assessment, updated bylaws, strategic plans, corporate governance and committee charters.

The Foundation established a search committee earlier this year that created a comprehensive request for proposal process to source an executive search firm partner. The search committee invited proposals from a number of top executive search firms across the country, all known for their work with foundations and the broader nonprofit sector. From among the respondents, the search committee conducted interviews with five leading firms. BoardWalk Consulting was the committee’s unanimous choice to be the Foundation’s executive search partner.

According to Bert Clark, chair of the CEO search committee, “The committee was especially impressed by BoardWalk’s deep experience with community foundations across the country, its nuanced understanding of iconic transitions, and its demonstrated commitment to metro Atlanta’s nonprofit sector.”

John Reid, chair of the Foundation’s Board, noted “Our mandate to the search committee is to conduct a deliberate, comprehensive and creative process, one designed to surface the very best prospects to become what will be the fourth CEO the Community Foundation has ever had.”

The search will be national, as befits an organization with the Foundation’s mission and reputation, and the overall process is expected to take six months to complete. The leadership profile will be published in January for candidates to review, following BoardWalk’s conversations with an array of critical Community Foundation stakeholders, including donors, staff, program partners, peer leaders across the metro area and beyond. Until then, inquiries and recommendations may be sent to CFGAtlanta@BoardWalkConsulting.com.

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About BoardWalk Consulting: BoardWalk Consulting is a national executive search firm based in Atlanta, committed to finding leaders that matter for missions that matter.^® Founded in 2002, BoardWalk has recruited CEOs for hundreds of foundation and nonprofit clients in 33 states, the District of Columbia and a small number of other countries.

About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta: Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting the passions of philanthropists with the purposes of nonprofits doing that work. With nearly 70 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation leads and inspires philanthropy to increase the vitality of our region and the well-being of all residents, empowering our donors to focus on the joy of giving. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation, among almost 800 nationally, with $1.2 billion in current assets and is Georgia’s second largest foundation. Through its quality donor services and bold, innovative leadership on community issues, the Foundation received more than $162 million from donors in 2018 and distributed more than $128 million that same year to support nonprofits throughout the region and beyond. In 2018 Charity Navigator named the Community Foundation a four-star rated nonprofit, its top distinction, putting the Foundation among the top 10 highest-rated community foundations in the United States.