June 10, 2023 • 17 mins
Jim Cutright is the President and CEO of the Ashland County Community Foundation. Jim has been a part of the organization since it was founded back in 1995. The Ashland County Community Foundation has had incredible growth in recent years, which has allowed for numerous scholarship grants and other projects to help improve the community. Jim was born in Mansfield and went to Plymouth High School. Lear more about him and the Foundation on the podcast.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
The CEO You Should Know, broughtto you by Robie Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week CEO Jim Cutwright, Presidentand CEO of the Ashland County Community
Foundation, our guest in studio today. We're excited to learn about Jim cut
(00:21):
Right this week CEO you Should Know. He is the president and CEO of
the Ashland County Community Foundation. Jim, good morning, Good morning, Thank
you for coming in, Thanks forhaving me. Absolutely, I've heard the
name and I've heard about your organization, so excited to learn. That's what
(00:42):
we do on this program about localorganizations. So let's say somebody's new to
the area or they just don't know, tell us about you, guys.
Well, the Ashland County Community Foundationhas been around this nineteen ninety five,
relatively young as a community foundation goes. For example, Richland County Foundation,
which is our counterpart here in RichlandCounty, has been around fifty years longer,
(01:06):
so we're fairly young as far ascommunity foundation goes. So honestly,
one of the most visited pages onour website is what is a community foundation?
And so probably a good idea tojust explain to the listeners exactly what
a Community Foundation is what we doin the community. The metaphor that I
often use is that of a charitablebank, and so charitably minded folks that
(01:32):
wish to make a donation to benefittheir community can bring dollars to Community Foundation,
and we are a conservator of thoseassets. So we're not simply passing
them through as United Way might do, nor are we an end user of
those dollars. But we are holdingthose dollars, placing them into little savings
accounts that we call endowments, andinvesting them for the long term to create
(01:56):
sustainability for organization and causes that matterin our community. So you would then
have grants in different things. Iwould assume that what people would hear about.
Could you explain a little bit aboutthat? Sure, So the earnings
from those endowment funds that are createdand then create distributions that can be made
in the forms of grants scholarships.Scholarships are big part of what we do
(02:20):
in fact, and we're just wrappingup our Spring twenty twenty three cycle where
this year we're really proud that we'reawarding the highest number, highest dollar volume
of scholarships ever two hundred and ninetysix scholarships for almost four hundred and seventy
thousand dollars, with the bulk ofthat just going into Ashland County helping those
(02:43):
students pursue higher education. Beyond that, we're also making grants out in the
community that benefit youth, benefit women, and help bolster the activity of all
of our hard working nonprofit agencies.Terrific to learn about the Ashland County Community
Foundation. Their president CEO, Jimcut right, he is joining us in
(03:04):
studio today. All right, Soin terms of you, how long have
you been involved with the organization,Well, with the organization for sixteen years,
but the first five of that sittingon the board. I was invited
to be a trustee back in twothousand and seven. In twenty twelve,
our founding president, doctor Lucille Ford, was wanting to step aside. So
(03:30):
I had spent my entire career workingcareer in construction management, which is totally
unrelated in many ways to what we'redoing. But I'd always sat on a
lot of nonprofit boards, had beenvolunteering in the community, and so it
was always really interested in that aspectof serving. And so the Succession Planning
(03:50):
Committee, I was the vice chairof our board approached me and they kept
saying, you know, we needto find someone kind of like Cutty,
someone like Cutty to run this organization. So the chair just called me one
day and said, you know,we'd like you to consider switching careers and
taking on this challenge. So I'venow been in this seat for eleven years
and absolutely enjoy it as my encorecareer. As you mentioned your nickname,
(04:15):
Cutty, that's what everybody called right, Yeah, exactly, know as Cutty.
I think I saw that on youremail. All right, So terrific
to learn about Jim cut right thismorning again this week's CEO, you should
know, president CEO of the AshlandCounty Community Foundation. All right, So
where are you located at? Wellor a three hundred College Avenue, just
(04:41):
down from the AU campus in Ashland, so very convenient to downtown and to
the campus community. There. We'rein an old bank building, a former
bank building that back in two thousandand two we needed the stability of a
permanent home and so we had agroup of donors stepped up and allowed us
the opportunity to purchase the building andthen slowly over the last eleven years as
(05:05):
money has become available. I've beenremodeling it and we were able to add
a wing onto it in twenty eighteen, five years ago as we began to
grow as an organization and added staffmembers. So it's a great central location
for us there in Ashlyn. Now, let me ask this question in terms
of the people you help, interms of organizations with grants and different things.
(05:29):
Is it just Ashland County. Doyou branch out at all into neighboring
counties. Well, we do iton occasion, and you know a lot
of what we're doing. When donorsare creating endowment funds with us, those
carry sometimes restrictions by donors. Theycare about very specific things, and so
they will restrict us on how thosedollars are to be distributed. And that's
(05:53):
fine. We love that. Oneof the hardest things to get is unrestricted
money where donors are actually saying,you know what, you guys are more
in touch with the needs of thecommunity. Here are some dollars you decide.
We have a We're really fortunate tohold the assets of a Richland County
based family foundation, and so morerecently we have the New and North Central
(06:15):
Ohio YMCA project. It's going tobe happening in southern Richland County, and
they were very interested in supporting that, so we were able to make a
one million dollar seed grant to getthat thing started. So on occasion,
I would say ninety five percent ofwhat we're doing is in Nashland County,
but we do like to touch othersin other counties in the region. And
(06:41):
you mentioned that I seventy one areadown toward Belville. That is just going
to be a huge, huge,amazing project for sure. Yeah, a
lot of excitement surrounding that. Allright, So let's step away from work
and find out a little bit moreabout this week. CEO. You should
know that as Jim cut Right cuttyas he mentioned people call him. He's
(07:03):
the president CEO of the Ashland CountyCommunity Foundation. Let's go back to the
beginning. If you would tell uswhere was Jim cut Right born Mansfield,
Ohio? Actually right, yeah,Northern Richland County. Went to a Plymouth
High school. My dad worked forthe General Motors plant here, and before
(07:26):
I started first grade, moved usup there and big red alright, alright,
alright, alright, football basketball.So I had a great experience,
horrific terrific. Actually had a greatexperience growing up in a small town and
then after school did not go tocollege right away, got involved in the
construction industry, ended up attending acronUniversity as a as a non traditional student
(07:51):
evenings weekends, much to my wife'sdismay as I was pursuing that degree,
but learned a lot through that experienceand it was good character building, to
say the least. All right,Well, while we're on the topic of
you don't know, I heard yousay wife, but I don't know if
kids, anything like that. Couldyou tell us a bit more about Jim
Cuttwright and the family. Sure.I've been married with my wife Christy for
(08:16):
I believe it or not, thiswill be forty eight years of marriage this
year. I jokingly say that wewere like twelve when we got married,
but so have been very blessed tohave a beautiful wife that has put up
with me for all of that time. I have a son, Brad,
who lives in Avon, Ohio,is married to Lindsay and they have two
children. I have a grandson JJJames Joseph got Right, age nine,
(08:41):
and a granddaughter Logan is aged six. And I have a beautiful daughter,
Brittany, who is still single livingin Austin, Texas, which gives us
an amazing place to visit a fewtimes each year. All Right, when
we talk about spare time, doyou have any hobbies? What do you
like to do from work? Well, my wife and I like to travel,
and so I don't have a tonof hobbies. Was a horrible golfer
(09:07):
for many years and haven't done toomuch of that more recently, but my
son and grandson, and now Ihave this nine year old grandson in golfing,
so I think I may have totake it back up again just to
get out on the links with him. As long as you're having fun,
it doesn't matter how exactly yeah Iwas to people. As long as you
enjoy it. Yeah, Well,I wish I had that mentality, but
I didn't always unfortunately too much ofa perfectionist, I think, to enjoy
(09:31):
that game. Well, it's beengood to learn this morning about Jim Cutt.
Right, we're going to get backto work, President CEO of the
Ashland County Community Foundation. So,in terms of staff members, do you
have a ballpark figure? How manyyou guys employee? Well, we have
an addition to myself, and I'mactually the only full time employee. So
I have five other young ladies thatwork with me each day, amazing,
(09:56):
really smart, highly skilled, andare working part time because they're all of
young moms and they enjoy that flexibilityof the work life balance that nonprofit world
can provide sometimes. So we've triedto create a model with the way we
operate there for other nonprofits to follow, and it has worked usually successfully.
(10:18):
None terrificate. It's interesting, youknow you mentioned going to high school Plymouth
and then getting into construction management,different things, So did you probably ever
think you'd be in an in rolelike this all. I mean, you
know, when I was first approached, it was just one of those things
that I had never envisioned myself doingit. It was quite a reduction in
pay, I can tell you thattoo. But the blessing of it has
(10:39):
been that I have gotten to bein touch with a part of our community
and connecting with people in this philanthropicexchange that I talk about, just having
such positive conversations each day where onone side of the exchange you have folks
that really care about our community,our donors who want to make an impact
(11:00):
and on the other side, youhave either students pursuing higher education need of
a scholarship assistance, or these hardworking nonprofit agencies that frankly just don't get
enough credit that are on the frontline of meeting the needs of our community.
So to be at that intersection havethose great conversations each day is just
usually rewarding. Now, do youhave conversations with other community foundations throughout the
(11:22):
state, like a Richland County thosekind of things, I'm sure you bounce
id is off. Yeah, absolutely. As one of the first things I
did actually when I stepped into theposition was to create a peer network where
I reached out to all of thesurrounding county community foundations because in Ohio that's
pretty much how community foundations are structuredas one per county. Some of the
(11:45):
larger counties will have more than one. But one of my first outreaches was
to Brady Groves, who's the presidenthere in Richland County. Just a great
guy, and so we began havinga lunch, occasionally have a coffee.
Great thing is that much different thanthe for profit world. We don't really
compete against each other, so thesharing of ideas is phenomenal in this uh,
(12:09):
in this world that I'm operating innow, and so we're just always
trying to help each other. Andwhy reinvent the wheel when you can?
You know, chances are you encountereda similar situation and like how did you
handle this? And so it's justwonderful to them to meet with your peers
that way. Yeah. I've knownBrady for a long time, back to
when he ran the Meahawk Relays.I didn't just just terrific people. Brady
(12:31):
crows, that's right. I believehis wife teaches and how that's right.
I remember during COVID when everybody wasat home and I are you helping out
teaching? Goes No, not really. He probably should stay away from that.
All right, Well, it's beenterrific to have you in today.
I wanted to get back to theFoundation for a moment before I let you
(12:52):
go. The voice you here todayJim Cuttwright, President CEO Ashland County Community
Foundation, this week's CEO. Youshould know in terms of I didn't ask
you this when you come in,but do you have a yearly amount that
you normally are able to give back? Is there a ballpark figure over the
I know you mentioned a huge amountof scholarships now this year. Is there
any type of annual It really varies. Our assets have grown significantly. I
(13:16):
mean, the thing I'm proudest ofis the amazing arc of growth that we've
had over the eleven years that I'vebeen there. When I came on board,
our assets were at sixteen million becausewe are fairly young, but we're
now at about eighty three million,so we've had an amazing growth period there.
We've added four hundred endowment funds overthe last eleven years, so we
(13:37):
now provide stewardship over about six hundredand fifty endowments, so the amounts that
are awarded each year vary. OurCommunity Grants Program is our largest reactive grant
making program that averages around three hundredthousand dollars per year. We also have
a lot of donor advice funds wheredonors can effectively create their own personal grant
(14:01):
making funds, and those amounts thatare distributed in very widely, so there's
not a set targeted amount. Butwe're always trying to just be really reactive
to the needs while also proactively reachingout in the community, trying to figure
out what are the needs are Women'sFund this past year had an amazing effort
(14:22):
or the last about year and ahalf where they were trying to look at
the barriers that are holding women backin our community and recognize it. Childcare,
the lack of accessible, fordable childcareis something that was needed and so
they raised four and a half milliondollars and are building a new childcare center
in Ashland, which the industrial park. In the industrial park should really help
(14:46):
to address the workforce development needs thatexist in the community. So that was
an example of a really proactive effortthat was phenomenal led by our Chief gram
Officer Kristin Aspen. Before I letsyou go to things quickly, anyone I
talked to from Ashland, I alwayshave to bring up, it's amazing what
(15:09):
the mayor's got done in Ashley.The guy is amazing. He's a good
friend and Matt's one of those guysthat is visionary. But also I always
say this, he understands how toput the pieces together to execute the vision.
And that's really important because you canbe visionary, but if you don't
know how to execute that vision,then you're just dreaming, really and so
(15:33):
he is the best pr guy thatany community could have, and people are
just drawn to him. Probably oneof the best public speakers I've ever heard
anywhere. What he's done in theway of economic development for our community has
just been incredible. Yeah, it'sjust amazing. Project after project improvement,
growing housing, everything is really theFoundation has been a part of that,
(15:56):
you know, philanthropy has played arole in all of that, and we
have just some very generous folks thathave embraced his vision and are walking alongside
him. And we've been pleased thatthe Foundation has been the mechanism created a
really cool downtown space where we providedthe lead grant to make that happen,
(16:17):
and it's called Foundation Plaza. I'veheard it become a real community gathering place
and so it's been fun to bea part of that. All right,
Well, before I let you go, Jim cut right again, President CEO
of the Ashland County Community Foundation.Somebody, here's your voice. They want
more information about your organization. Maybethey want to donate, they want to
help, they want to get involved. How can they reach out? Well,
(16:41):
one of the best ways, ofcourse through our website and our website
address is Ashland for Good dot orgAshland foargod dot org. You can learn
a lot about it what we're doingthere. Also we have you know,
if you're inclined to make a donation, there's a donation portal there where you
can do that online with a creditcard phone number four one nine to eighty
(17:03):
one four seven three three, mypersonal email address Cutty at Ashland for Good
dot org. So any of thoseways you can feel free to reach out
to us and love to have aconversation. Well, it's been great to
learn about you and about the organization. Jim. We thank you so much
for coming in and we wish youcontinued success. Awesome. Thank you so
much, Jim Cutwright, President andCEO of the Ashland County Community Foundation,
(17:30):
the CEO you should know. Reada bio, see a photo, and
hear the extended interview at WMA NFMdot com. This is John Roby of
RFME Insurance. This said that agood leader sets the bar high because he
or she wants to reach goals andmake the best of their teams. We're
proud to introduce you to some ofthe community's leaders on the CEO series
The CEO You Should Know, broughtto you by Robie Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week CEO Jim Cutwright, Presidentand CEO of the Ashland County Community
Foundation, our guest in studio today. We're excited to learn about Jim cut
(00:21):
Right this week CEO you Should Know. He is the president and CEO of
the Ashland County Community Foundation. Jim, good morning, Good morning, Thank
you for coming in, Thanks forhaving me. Absolutely, I've heard the
name and I've heard about your organization, so excited to learn. That's what
(00:42):
we do on this program about localorganizations. So let's say somebody's new to
the area or they just don't know, tell us about you, guys.
Well, the Ashland County Community Foundationhas been around this nineteen ninety five,
relatively young as a community foundation goes. For example, Richland County Foundation,
which is our counterpart here in RichlandCounty, has been around fifty years longer,
(01:06):
so we're fairly young as far ascommunity foundation goes. So honestly,
one of the most visited pages onour website is what is a community foundation?
And so probably a good idea tojust explain to the listeners exactly what
a Community Foundation is what we doin the community. The metaphor that I
often use is that of a charitablebank, and so charitably minded folks that
(01:32):
wish to make a donation to benefittheir community can bring dollars to Community Foundation,
and we are a conservator of thoseassets. So we're not simply passing
them through as United Way might do, nor are we an end user of
those dollars. But we are holdingthose dollars, placing them into little savings
accounts that we call endowments, andinvesting them for the long term to create
(01:56):
sustainability for organization and causes that matterin our community. So you would then
have grants in different things. Iwould assume that what people would hear about.
Could you explain a little bit aboutthat? Sure, So the earnings
from those endowment funds that are createdand then create distributions that can be made
in the forms of grants scholarships.Scholarships are big part of what we do
(02:20):
in fact, and we're just wrappingup our Spring twenty twenty three cycle where
this year we're really proud that we'reawarding the highest number, highest dollar volume
of scholarships ever two hundred and ninetysix scholarships for almost four hundred and seventy
thousand dollars, with the bulk ofthat just going into Ashland County helping those
(02:43):
students pursue higher education. Beyond that, we're also making grants out in the
community that benefit youth, benefit women, and help bolster the activity of all
of our hard working nonprofit agencies.Terrific to learn about the Ashland County Community
Foundation. Their president CEO, Jimcut right, he is joining us in
(03:04):
studio today. All right, Soin terms of you, how long have
you been involved with the organization,Well, with the organization for sixteen years,
but the first five of that sittingon the board. I was invited
to be a trustee back in twothousand and seven. In twenty twelve,
our founding president, doctor Lucille Ford, was wanting to step aside. So
(03:30):
I had spent my entire career workingcareer in construction management, which is totally
unrelated in many ways to what we'redoing. But I'd always sat on a
lot of nonprofit boards, had beenvolunteering in the community, and so it
was always really interested in that aspectof serving. And so the Succession Planning
(03:50):
Committee, I was the vice chairof our board approached me and they kept
saying, you know, we needto find someone kind of like Cutty,
someone like Cutty to run this organization. So the chair just called me one
day and said, you know,we'd like you to consider switching careers and
taking on this challenge. So I'venow been in this seat for eleven years
and absolutely enjoy it as my encorecareer. As you mentioned your nickname,
(04:15):
Cutty, that's what everybody called right, Yeah, exactly, know as Cutty.
I think I saw that on youremail. All right, So terrific
to learn about Jim cut right thismorning again this week's CEO, you should
know, president CEO of the AshlandCounty Community Foundation. All right, So
where are you located at? Wellor a three hundred College Avenue, just
(04:41):
down from the AU campus in Ashland, so very convenient to downtown and to
the campus community. There. We'rein an old bank building, a former
bank building that back in two thousandand two we needed the stability of a
permanent home and so we had agroup of donors stepped up and allowed us
the opportunity to purchase the building andthen slowly over the last eleven years as
(05:05):
money has become available. I've beenremodeling it and we were able to add
a wing onto it in twenty eighteen, five years ago as we began to
grow as an organization and added staffmembers. So it's a great central location
for us there in Ashlyn. Now, let me ask this question in terms
of the people you help, interms of organizations with grants and different things.
(05:29):
Is it just Ashland County. Doyou branch out at all into neighboring
counties. Well, we do iton occasion, and you know a lot
of what we're doing. When donorsare creating endowment funds with us, those
carry sometimes restrictions by donors. Theycare about very specific things, and so
they will restrict us on how thosedollars are to be distributed. And that's
(05:53):
fine. We love that. Oneof the hardest things to get is unrestricted
money where donors are actually saying,you know what, you guys are more
in touch with the needs of thecommunity. Here are some dollars you decide.
We have a We're really fortunate tohold the assets of a Richland County
based family foundation, and so morerecently we have the New and North Central
(06:15):
Ohio YMCA project. It's going tobe happening in southern Richland County, and
they were very interested in supporting that, so we were able to make a
one million dollar seed grant to getthat thing started. So on occasion,
I would say ninety five percent ofwhat we're doing is in Nashland County,
but we do like to touch othersin other counties in the region. And
(06:41):
you mentioned that I seventy one areadown toward Belville. That is just going
to be a huge, huge,amazing project for sure. Yeah, a
lot of excitement surrounding that. Allright, So let's step away from work
and find out a little bit moreabout this week. CEO. You should
know that as Jim cut Right cuttyas he mentioned people call him. He's
(07:03):
the president CEO of the Ashland CountyCommunity Foundation. Let's go back to the
beginning. If you would tell uswhere was Jim cut Right born Mansfield,
Ohio? Actually right, yeah,Northern Richland County. Went to a Plymouth
High school. My dad worked forthe General Motors plant here, and before
(07:26):
I started first grade, moved usup there and big red alright, alright,
alright, alright, football basketball.So I had a great experience,
horrific terrific. Actually had a greatexperience growing up in a small town and
then after school did not go tocollege right away, got involved in the
construction industry, ended up attending acronUniversity as a as a non traditional student
(07:51):
evenings weekends, much to my wife'sdismay as I was pursuing that degree,
but learned a lot through that experienceand it was good character building, to
say the least. All right,Well, while we're on the topic of
you don't know, I heard yousay wife, but I don't know if
kids, anything like that. Couldyou tell us a bit more about Jim
Cuttwright and the family. Sure.I've been married with my wife Christy for
(08:16):
I believe it or not, thiswill be forty eight years of marriage this
year. I jokingly say that wewere like twelve when we got married,
but so have been very blessed tohave a beautiful wife that has put up
with me for all of that time. I have a son, Brad,
who lives in Avon, Ohio,is married to Lindsay and they have two
children. I have a grandson JJJames Joseph got Right, age nine,
(08:41):
and a granddaughter Logan is aged six. And I have a beautiful daughter,
Brittany, who is still single livingin Austin, Texas, which gives us
an amazing place to visit a fewtimes each year. All Right, when
we talk about spare time, doyou have any hobbies? What do you
like to do from work? Well, my wife and I like to travel,
and so I don't have a tonof hobbies. Was a horrible golfer
(09:07):
for many years and haven't done toomuch of that more recently, but my
son and grandson, and now Ihave this nine year old grandson in golfing,
so I think I may have totake it back up again just to
get out on the links with him. As long as you're having fun,
it doesn't matter how exactly yeah Iwas to people. As long as you
enjoy it. Yeah, Well,I wish I had that mentality, but
I didn't always unfortunately too much ofa perfectionist, I think, to enjoy
(09:31):
that game. Well, it's beengood to learn this morning about Jim Cutt.
Right, we're going to get backto work, President CEO of the
Ashland County Community Foundation. So,in terms of staff members, do you
have a ballpark figure? How manyyou guys employee? Well, we have
an addition to myself, and I'mactually the only full time employee. So
I have five other young ladies thatwork with me each day, amazing,
(09:56):
really smart, highly skilled, andare working part time because they're all of
young moms and they enjoy that flexibilityof the work life balance that nonprofit world
can provide sometimes. So we've triedto create a model with the way we
operate there for other nonprofits to follow, and it has worked usually successfully.
(10:18):
None terrificate. It's interesting, youknow you mentioned going to high school Plymouth
and then getting into construction management,different things, So did you probably ever
think you'd be in an in rolelike this all. I mean, you
know, when I was first approached, it was just one of those things
that I had never envisioned myself doingit. It was quite a reduction in
pay, I can tell you thattoo. But the blessing of it has
(10:39):
been that I have gotten to bein touch with a part of our community
and connecting with people in this philanthropicexchange that I talk about, just having
such positive conversations each day where onone side of the exchange you have folks
that really care about our community,our donors who want to make an impact
(11:00):
and on the other side, youhave either students pursuing higher education need of
a scholarship assistance, or these hardworking nonprofit agencies that frankly just don't get
enough credit that are on the frontline of meeting the needs of our community.
So to be at that intersection havethose great conversations each day is just
usually rewarding. Now, do youhave conversations with other community foundations throughout the
(11:22):
state, like a Richland County thosekind of things, I'm sure you bounce
id is off. Yeah, absolutely. As one of the first things I
did actually when I stepped into theposition was to create a peer network where
I reached out to all of thesurrounding county community foundations because in Ohio that's
pretty much how community foundations are structuredas one per county. Some of the
(11:45):
larger counties will have more than one. But one of my first outreaches was
to Brady Groves, who's the presidenthere in Richland County. Just a great
guy, and so we began havinga lunch, occasionally have a coffee.
Great thing is that much different thanthe for profit world. We don't really
compete against each other, so thesharing of ideas is phenomenal in this uh,
(12:09):
in this world that I'm operating innow, and so we're just always
trying to help each other. Andwhy reinvent the wheel when you can?
You know, chances are you encountereda similar situation and like how did you
handle this? And so it's justwonderful to them to meet with your peers
that way. Yeah. I've knownBrady for a long time, back to
when he ran the Meahawk Relays.I didn't just just terrific people. Brady
(12:31):
crows, that's right. I believehis wife teaches and how that's right.
I remember during COVID when everybody wasat home and I are you helping out
teaching? Goes No, not really. He probably should stay away from that.
All right, Well, it's beenterrific to have you in today.
I wanted to get back to theFoundation for a moment before I let you
(12:52):
go. The voice you here todayJim Cuttwright, President CEO Ashland County Community
Foundation, this week's CEO. Youshould know in terms of I didn't ask
you this when you come in,but do you have a yearly amount that
you normally are able to give back? Is there a ballpark figure over the
I know you mentioned a huge amountof scholarships now this year. Is there
any type of annual It really varies. Our assets have grown significantly. I
(13:16):
mean, the thing I'm proudest ofis the amazing arc of growth that we've
had over the eleven years that I'vebeen there. When I came on board,
our assets were at sixteen million becausewe are fairly young, but we're
now at about eighty three million,so we've had an amazing growth period there.
We've added four hundred endowment funds overthe last eleven years, so we
(13:37):
now provide stewardship over about six hundredand fifty endowments, so the amounts that
are awarded each year vary. OurCommunity Grants Program is our largest reactive grant
making program that averages around three hundredthousand dollars per year. We also have
a lot of donor advice funds wheredonors can effectively create their own personal grant
(14:01):
making funds, and those amounts thatare distributed in very widely, so there's
not a set targeted amount. Butwe're always trying to just be really reactive
to the needs while also proactively reachingout in the community, trying to figure
out what are the needs are Women'sFund this past year had an amazing effort
(14:22):
or the last about year and ahalf where they were trying to look at
the barriers that are holding women backin our community and recognize it. Childcare,
the lack of accessible, fordable childcareis something that was needed and so
they raised four and a half milliondollars and are building a new childcare center
in Ashland, which the industrial park. In the industrial park should really help
(14:46):
to address the workforce development needs thatexist in the community. So that was
an example of a really proactive effortthat was phenomenal led by our Chief gram
Officer Kristin Aspen. Before I letsyou go to things quickly, anyone I
talked to from Ashland, I alwayshave to bring up, it's amazing what
(15:09):
the mayor's got done in Ashley.The guy is amazing. He's a good
friend and Matt's one of those guysthat is visionary. But also I always
say this, he understands how toput the pieces together to execute the vision.
And that's really important because you canbe visionary, but if you don't
know how to execute that vision,then you're just dreaming, really and so
(15:33):
he is the best pr guy thatany community could have, and people are
just drawn to him. Probably oneof the best public speakers I've ever heard
anywhere. What he's done in theway of economic development for our community has
just been incredible. Yeah, it'sjust amazing. Project after project improvement,
growing housing, everything is really theFoundation has been a part of that,
(15:56):
you know, philanthropy has played arole in all of that, and we
have just some very generous folks thathave embraced his vision and are walking alongside
him. And we've been pleased thatthe Foundation has been the mechanism created a
really cool downtown space where we providedthe lead grant to make that happen,
(16:17):
and it's called Foundation Plaza. I'veheard it become a real community gathering place
and so it's been fun to bea part of that. All right,
Well, before I let you go, Jim cut right again, President CEO
of the Ashland County Community Foundation.Somebody, here's your voice. They want
more information about your organization. Maybethey want to donate, they want to
help, they want to get involved. How can they reach out? Well,
(16:41):
one of the best ways, ofcourse through our website and our website
address is Ashland for Good dot orgAshland foargod dot org. You can learn
a lot about it what we're doingthere. Also we have you know,
if you're inclined to make a donation, there's a donation portal there where you
can do that online with a creditcard phone number four one nine to eighty
(17:03):
one four seven three three, mypersonal email address Cutty at Ashland for Good
dot org. So any of thoseways you can feel free to reach out
to us and love to have aconversation. Well, it's been great to
learn about you and about the organization. Jim. We thank you so much
for coming in and we wish youcontinued success. Awesome. Thank you so
much, Jim Cutwright, President andCEO of the Ashland County Community Foundation,
(17:30):
the CEO you should know. Reada bio, see a photo, and
hear the extended interview at WMA NFMdot com. This is John Roby of
RFME Insurance. This said that agood leader sets the bar high because he
or she wants to reach goals andmake the best of their teams. We're
proud to introduce you to some ofthe community's leaders on the CEO series
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