New Board Members Announced 2017
May 18, 2017
The Cedar Falls Community Foundation, a nationally accredited community foundation, held its Annual Meeting on April 27, 2017 and elected three new board members. Carol Lilly, Ty Kimble, and Mark Ripplinger will join the Foundation Board, replacing retiring board members Robert Dieter, David Mason Jr. and Bruce Verink. Past Foundation President Miller Roskamp also retired from the Board, and was elected to the Emeritus Board, joining Past Foundation President Bob Beach as emeritus members of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation Board of Directors.
Russell Curtis, President of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation Board, said, “We thank our outgoing board members for their years of service. Robert Dieter is not only a past president of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, but almost a founding member, having been involved with the Foundation since the late 1970s. David Mason Jr. was instrumental in guiding the Foundation through a thorough examination and revision of its By-laws, and Bruce Verink served as an important link between the Foundation and the City. We appreciate their years of service.”
Incoming Board member Carol Lilly is Executive Director of Community Main Street, Cedar Falls. In addition to the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, Lilly serves the Sartori Foundation Board, the Lion’s Club, and previously served on the scholarship committee of the Business and Professional Women. Lilly brings a variety of skills to nonprofit board service, including experience in fundraising, community engagement, program development, and public relations and communications. Russell Curtis, President of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation said, “We are pleased that Carol agreed to serve on the Foundation Board. Our Main Street is an iconic symbol of the quality of life we enjoy in Cedar Falls, and a closer partnership with Community Main Street through Carol will help the Foundation find ways to further enhance the community’s quality of life. The Foundation looks forward to working with Carol and Community Main Street on future enhancements to our downtown area and Cedar Falls as a whole.”
Lilly said, “I am interested in helping maintain and expand the quality of services and quality of life in Cedar Falls. Although we have one of the best communities in the state, I also believe we must continue to strive for improvement. Identifying the needs of the community – with community input – then finding sources to meet those needs is of great interest to me.”
Incoming Board member Ty Kimble is owner of TrueNorth Insurance at 226 Main Street, Cedar Falls. Ty has previous experience with non-profit boards, having served as President of the Cedar Falls Historical Society, Cedar Falls Community Main Street, and Cedar Falls Rotary, among others. Ty has substantial skills in community engagement, community service, and public relations and communication. Ty said, “Cedar Falls has given me and my family wonderful opportunities and success and being part of an organization such as the Cedar Falls Community Foundation will give me the opportunity give back to our community.”
Russell Curtis noted, “Ty has a breadth of experience and wealth of community knowledge that will serve the Foundation well as we move forward. The Foundation will hold a strategic planning retreat this Fall and we expect Ty’s previous experiences with non-profit boards and direction setting to be invaluable to that process.”
Incoming Board member Mark Ripplinger is the Director of the Department of Municipal Operations & Programs for the City of Cedar Falls. Mark has previously served on the Iowa Landscape Architecture Board of Examiners, Habitat for Humanity, and The Iowa Parks & Recreation Association. Mark said, “I am interested in becoming more involved with the Foundation to help identify ways to provide quality of life amenities for Cedar Falls and developing partnerships to provide those amenities.” Russell Curtis noted, “As a City of Cedar Falls staff member, Mark is often approached about projects that could add to the quality of life amenities we enjoy in Cedar Falls. Mark’s awareness of community needs and wants will be valuable as the Foundation determines goals and objectives for the coming years.”
Other members of the Board of Directors of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation are Russell Curtis, Craig Johnson, Judith Harrington, Eryn Reilly, Jennifer Rodenbeck, Dave Deaver, John Lehman, Tom Paulsen, Ryan Cose, Martin Arthur, Jan Anderson, Joanne Latta Reeves, Sheryl McGovern, Shannon Closson, Shirley Merner, Bill Kahler, and Robert Hardman. Elected as officers for the coming term are: Russell Curtis, President; Craig Johnson, Vice President; Judith Harrington, Secretary; and Eryn Reilly, Treasurer.
For the term 2017-18, Martin Arthur will chair the Public Relations Committee, consisting of Harrington, Andersen, Johnson, Lilly, Reeves, McGovern, and Karen Smith, Cedar Falls Historical Society liaison.
Reilly will chair the Finance Committee, with committee members Lehman, Paulsen, Rodenbeck, Cose, and Troy Smith, U.S. Bank representative.
Deaver will chair the Stakeholder Relations Committee, consisting of Closson, Merner, Kahler, Ripplinger, Hardman, Kimble, and community member Jim Coloff.
Cynthia Sweet, Executive Director of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation said, “The Cedar Falls Community Foundation appreciates time and attention board members devote to serving the community. Our board members and liaisons are thoroughly embedded in Cedar Falls organizations and activities, with a broad reach related to both engagement and communication. Their insights into what the residents of Cedar Falls need and want in terms of quality of life amenities will inform the Foundation’s direction and activities. Our mission is to enhance the community; our vision is to encourage community philanthropy and collaboration, demonstrate careful stewardship of the funds entrusted to us, and to provide leadership in building a strong community for the benefit of the residents of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Our Board of Directors has the experience and community knowledge to fulfill both mission and vision.”
The Cedar Falls Community Foundation is a nationally accredited community foundation. The Cedar Falls Community Foundation accepts and manages estate gifts and donations to fulfill donor wishes, assisting donors to achieve their charitable legacy. The Cedar Falls Community Foundation’s mission to use the resources entrusted to its stewardship to support projects that enhance the community’s quality of life through cultural, scholarly, recreational, literary and artistic endeavors. For more information about the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, please visit www.cf-communityfoundation.org or contact 319.243.9170 or email: cfcf@cfu.net.
