MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (October 18, 2000) The Board of Directors of the Minnesota Council on Foundations has selected Bill King of Minneapolis as its next president. King, senior vice president of the Council, will succeed Jackie Reis, who is retiring after more than 21 years in the position. King will begin his new duties on February 19, 2001.

King, 49, will be the Minnesota Council on Foundations’ third president since its founding in 1969. The Council is one of the oldest regional associations of grantmakers in the country, with a membership of more than 150 private foundations, community and other public foundations, and corporate foundations and giving programs. The Council’s mission is to strengthen and to increase participation in philanthropy.

"The board believes that Bill King is ideally suited to lead the Council in building on its past successes and addressing its future challenges, so that it can maintain its position as the region’s recognized leader in the field of philanthropy," said Council board chair Chris Andersen. "Bill’s demonstrated management and leadership abilities will ensure that the Council continues to grow and prosper in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive environment. His more than 20 years of diverse experience working with community foundations, private foundations, corporate grantmakers and other community groups will ensure that the Council continues to provide its members with high-quality services that help them serve our communities as effectively as possible."

"It is an honor to take on this role at the Council at a time when the Council is expanding its leadership in philanthropy and when charitable giving is playing an increasingly prominent role in our society," said King. "Jackie Reis has left an incredible legacy for me to build on."

King was selected through a six-month national search to succeed Reis, who began her tenure as president of the Council in August 1979. The Council’s first president was Judith Healey, who served from 1976 to 1979.

"I am pleased to know that I will be passing the torch to someone as incredibly talented, capable and committed as Bill King," said Reis. "Together with the Council’s board and staff, I will work closely with Bill in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition of leadership."

King is currently senior vice president of the Minnesota Council on Foundations, where he has worked for the past 14 years. He has managed the Council’s education and professional development programs, strategic planning efforts, race and diversity initiatives and a variety of special projects.

Prior to joining the Council, King was a consultant in grant review and program development with several corporate and private foundations, primarily under contract with the ReliaStar Foundation and the Medtronic Foundation. He also spent six years as division manager for community development at the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, where he managed the Keystone Awards Program (5% and 2% Corporate Contributions Programs), Leadership Minneapolis and a number of other community development programs. King’s nonprofit work experience includes five years with Red Cross Blood Services, first as a field representative in St. Paul, Minn., and then as director of donor resources in Wichita, Kan.

King’s extensive community involvement has included serving on the boards of a number of local nonprofit organizations, including the St. Paul Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Charities Review Council of Minnesota. He currently serves on the board of directors of Philanthrofund Foundation, a community foundation serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities in the Upper Midwest. On the national level, King was a board member of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers in Washington, D.C., a national service association for philanthropy. King graduated from the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1973 with a B.S. in elementary education.

CONTACT: David Biemesderfer, director of communications and external relations, 612/335-3597, dbiemesderfer@mcf.org.

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