Local philanthropists, advisors and representatives of several nonprofit organizations took the long and winding road to the spectacular Gem Island home of Bob and Susan Morrison last Wednesday, hosts of the Indian River Community Foundation Founders and Fund Holders reception.
The couple had only just moved into their newly renovated home when they last hosted the event in 2013, so this time was certainly a little less stressful.
“We wanted to host it again because we really believe the Indian River Community Foundation is a very important organization in Vero Beach and Indian River County,” said Susan Morrison. “We wanted to do as much as we could to support it and this was an opportunity to do that.”
For most of the 110 guests the evening offered a first opportunity to meet Jeff Pickering, the Community Foundation’s newly hired CEO, who was kept busy greeting the roomful of well-wishers.
“My No. 1 priority is to listen and learn,” said Pickering. He succeeds Kerry Bartlett, who resigned last summer to accept a position with the philanthropic consulting firm Bob Carter Companies.
A Florida native raised in Winter Park, Pickering will relocate with wife Stephanie and their family in the spring from California, where his most recent position was as President and CEO of Kern Community Foundation and its subsidiary Kern Real Estate Foundation.
“We had 110 applicants and interviewed eight out of that group,” said Scott Alexander, who led a search committee that included Bob Puff, Rick McDermott, Lois Appleby, Andrea Thurn, Bob Burr and Todd Fennell. “We knew he was a veteran in the business and he was highly regarded.”
The IRCF currently manages $30 million in assets, mostly held in donor-advised funds. More than $22 million has been granted on behalf of its fund holders; 85 percent of that benefitting charitable endeavors in Indian River County.
The foundation facilitates donor-driven philanthropy, providing a range of services dependent on each donor’s needs, from hands-on assistance developing estate plans and managing family foundations, to providing informational access to nonprofits and connecting donors to advisors.
“We’ve had a wonderful six years, building relationships with nonprofits and just getting the word out to the community,” said IRCF board chairman Bob Puff.
“Now we will be starting Part Two. With Jeff’s background and expertise, we’re going to be able to build on our established credibility and the infrastructure that is in place. We want to be the place people go to first. We’re all about donors; what do the donors want to accomplish? We can help channel their resources to the nonprofits they’re interested in.”
Later, Puff thanked the Morrisons for offering their wonderful home for the reception and Wilmington Trust for sponsoring it, and recognized Bartlett for her work in developing the organization. Of the board members, fund-holders, founders and advisors in attendance, Puff noted, “You are our home team; you’re the ones who made this possible. Those of us close to it think of it as a worthy mission.”
“This is one of the fastest-growing community foundations in the country,” added Pickering. “Hold on to your hats; we’re going to build on it and take it even further. To those who are not yet donors, I look forward to showing you what a community foundation can do.”
