Rader to retire as Parkersburg Area Community Foundation executive director
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PARKERSBURG -- Following 20 years of service to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation & Regional Affiliates as a board and staff member and most recently executive director, Fred Rader has announced his intention to retire at the end of 2025.
"Fred has done an exemplary job leading the organization smoothly through a period of staff transition," board Chairman Tom Whaling said in a news release. "He has accomplished both cost-savings measures for the Foundation (such as installing the solar panels on our roof) and making significant office facilities improvements, while also continuing to grow our grantmaking resources and assets under management. We expect to award nearly $4 million in grants and scholarships this fiscal year."
Rader is the sixth executive director in the foundation's 62-year history. His predecessors were Bernard Flood, Walter Ausenheimer, Edwin Dils, Marian Clowes and Judy (Sjostedt) Ritchie.
"We have formed a search committee now and will carefully plan so that we find the right 'next' person to continue to drive this vital community enterprise forward. We will share updates on our search process as it develops," Whaling said.
Whaling announced that former board Chairman Bob Wright was chosen to head up the search committee. Other members include Whaling, Lexi Miller, Randy Dick, Linda Gerrard and Judy Ritchie.
"We felt that using an executive search firm would ensure a fair and objective process for all of those persons in our area who might be interested in applying for consideration for this important role in our community," Wright said. "We recently interviewed several regional search firms that had expertise in successfully managing an executive search process. After a lot of thought, we chose The Benefactor Group in Columbus, Ohio, for its expertise and knowledge, backed by a solid 25-year professional track record of success on a national basis. They had staff who really understand that the role of a community foundation is to build its community's capacity for good and to provide leadership around the key issues that challenge its area," he said.
"We are confident that someone will emerge through this formal process who can help take the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation & Regional Affiliates, in partnership with our donors and grantees, to the 'next level' of success," Wright said.
More information will be provided about the search process and how to contact the search firm as it becomes available. Those interested in can see updates as they arrive at https://pacfwv.com and https://benefactorgroup.com/.