Amelia Bond to Retire From St. Louis Community Foundation Leadership Position in 2023
(ST. LOUIS, May 11, 2022 ) — Amelia Bond announced her intention to retire from her position as president and CEO of the St. Louis Community Foundation effective June 2023, Foundation Board Chair Matthew W. Geekie said today.
During Bond’s tenure, the Foundation’s asset base has grown from $183 million to more than $550 million, while donor grants to nonprofits in St. Louis and around the world have increased more than five-fold, from $19 million in 2012 to more than $104 million in 2021. The majority of these grants remain in the St. Louis area.
Over the last five years, the St. Louis Community Foundation and its donors contributed nearly $500 million to nonprofits and numerous local initiatives and activities, making it the largest grant-maker in St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. Among the nation’s more than 800 community foundations, the Foundation is now the 21st largest.
“With her strategic perspective and visionary leadership, Amelia has aligned donors and civic and community leaders to drive meaningful progress on some of our region’s most pressing issues,” said Geekie. “We are grateful for the many ways she has elevated the long-term impact of philanthropy in St. Louis.”
Selected to head the organization in 2011, Bond is just the third leader in the 107-year-old Foundation’s history.
“Advancing St. Louis philanthropy through my service at the Foundation has been a privilege, and I am proud of the work made possible by our amazing donors and extraordinary Foundation team,” said Bond. “It continues to be an honor to help channel our donors’ energy, generosity, and enthusiasm for St. Louis into action as they generously support our nonprofits and community initiatives.”
The number of donor funds and endowed dollars held at the Foundation has doubled under Bond’s leadership, standing at 800 funds today. One in five dollars is endowed to support a vibrant future for the St. Louis community.
“Our donors want to protect and support the nonprofits they love and make a difference for St. Louis. That’s what makes a community endowment fund held at the St. Louis Community Foundation such an important issue and one I plan to concentrate on in the coming year,” said Bond. “Such a fund will enable our region to capitalize on opportunities, fund studies like our recent digital divide report to better understand regional problems, and seed groundbreaking solutions to challenges we can’t even envision today.”
Bond is most proud of the Foundation’s Covid-19 relief efforts. “Our region — our country — had never faced such vast economic and social dislocation,” Bond said. “The St. Louis corporate and philanthropic communities came together in mere days to direct relief to our most vulnerable citizens and support the work of frontline nonprofits. When we all join forces and pull in the same direction, amazing things happen in St. Louis.”
Bond also championed the creation of Give STL Day, the region’s annual day of online giving. Since its introduction to the St. Louis area in 2014, the event has raised more than $26 million for thousands of St.
Louis nonprofits.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors will conduct a nationwide search for Bond’s successor. “Amelia has done an incredible job boosting the Foundation’s impact, reputation, and financial position,” said Shelley Seifert, vice-chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We are looking for an energetic individual who can build upon this progress and further the Foundation’s bright future.”
Before joining the Foundation in 2011, Bond enjoyed a distinguished 30-year career leading the public finance operations and serving on the Board of Directors of A.G. Edwards, which was later acquired by Wachovia and Wells Fargo Advisors. During that time, Bond also served as a member and Chair of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, the industry’s self-regulatory organization.
“Amelia’s business acumen and strategic vision made her an ideal fit when we were looking to fill the President and CEO position in 2011,” said Board Chair Emeritus Laurna Godwin, who also led the search committee for the position. “She brought new energy and catalyzed the Foundation’s growth and regional impact and will leave a proud legacy of accomplishment and passion. She will be missed.”
About the St. Louis Community Foundation
The Foundation is a nonprofit with approximately 800 charitable funds and total assets of $554 million. Each fund represents a unique charitable giving partnership between nonprofit recipients and an individual, family, or business. The St. Louis Community Foundation inspires purposeful philanthropy that connects the community and donors to build and preserve a more equitable and vibrant region, now and forever.