July 17, 2024
Awards recognize outstanding service to communities
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks recently recognized seven individuals and four regional affiliate foundations for outstanding leadership and exceptional service to their communities. Along with the recognition, affiliate foundations received a total of $23,500 to supplement their annual grantmaking to the communities they serve.
Clockwise from top: Carthage Community Foundation; Community Foundation of the Hermann Area; Joplin Regional Community Foundation; and Perry County Community Foundation
Four of the CFO’s regional affiliate foundations were selected as Affiliates of the Year. The awards recognize excellence in leadership across the 55-member affiliate network. The affiliates were selected using several criteria: asset growth, new funds established, overall grantmaking and new Legacy Society members for the fiscal year that ended June 30. Selection was also based on examples of community leadership, collaboration and the promotion of planned giving. Each received $5,000 from the CFO to support grantmaking and philanthropic leadership for their communities:
- Carthage Community Foundation
- Community Foundation of the Hermann Area
- Joplin Regional Community Foundation
- Perry County Community Foundation
The CFO honored two individuals for outstanding leadership with awards named after significant affiliate leaders from the CFO’s history:
Front row, from left to right: Carolyn Davinroy, Beth Bankhead. Back row: Jan Amos, CFO VP of Affiliates Alice Wingo, Stacy Pyrtle, Jane Wright.
- Stacy Pyrtle, president of the Community Foundation of the Lake, received the Stanley Ball Leadership Award. Ball, who died in 2015, was the founding president of the Nixa Community Foundation, the CFO’s first regional affiliate. He embodied the strengths of business, civic and philanthropic leadership working together to enhance our communities. The award is presented by the CFO and Central Trust Company, which manages the Stanley & Elaine Ball Foundation. In Pyrtle’s honor, the Community Foundation of the Lake — which serves the Lake of the Ozarks area — received a $2,500 grant.
From left to right: Trudy Lee, Glenn (Skip) Smallwood, Stan Irwin.
- Trudy Lee, board member of the Cape Area Community Foundation, received the Fred Lemons Achievement Award. The award is named for the late president of the Lockwood Community Foundation, who demonstrated remarkable leadership during his 15-year tenure until his death in 2014. Presented by the CFO and the Lemons family, the award includes a $1,000 grant to the Cape Area Community Foundation — which serves Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and northern Scott counties in southeast Missouri — in Lee’s honor.
Five regional affiliate leaders were honored with Board Members of Excellence awards for outstanding service to their communities:
- Beth Bankhead, Community Foundation of the Lake
- Callie Linville, Nixa Community Foundation
- Ron Kraettli, Community Foundation of the Hermann Area
- Kim McCully-Mobley, Aurora Area Community Foundation
- Brian VanFossen, Community Foundation of Rogersville
“Every community needs champions who selflessly dedicate their time, talent and treasure to improve the lives of others,” said Alice Wingo, vice president of affiliates for the CFO. “As our regional affiliate network has grown over the last 31 years, these exceptional leaders provide great examples for others to follow.”
What is an affiliate foundation?
Led by volunteer boards, regional affiliate foundations work with the CFO to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. Affiliate foundations connect with local donors and nonprofits to develop charitable funds and address community needs through grantmaking, while the CFO provides fund management, back-office support and additional philanthropic resources.
