Community Foundation of Sarasota County President and CEO to Retire

June 12, 2024 | Sarasota

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s president and chief executive officer will retire next year in June 2025 at the conclusion of the organization’s fiscal year, announced its board of directors.

Roxie Jerde has led the Community Foundation since March 2011, which has almost tripled in asset growth under her leadership and now oversees more than half a billion dollars in charitable assets. The Community Foundation is recognized across Florida and throughout the country for its philanthropic stewardship and innovation. Jerde will retire June 30, 2025, and a national search will be conducted to identify the foundation’s next executive.

“The future is bright for our community foundation thanks to its donors whose trust in the foundation has created opportunities for thousands of people. That reputation along with a strong financial position and a high performing, committed, and tenured leadership team in place are keys to supporting our next president and CEO,” Jerde said. “It is time for new leadership to build upon successes and lead the next stage of growth and impact to strategically strengthen our community.”

Board chair Marilyn Thompson said she values Jerde’s leadership and the culture of teamwork and excellence she has instilled at the foundation, which was established in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council. The board will follow its succession policy, beginning by forming a search committee this summer with an aim of identifying a new leader – the foundation’s third CEO in its history – later in the spring of 2025.

“As our region changes, so too does our community foundation so that we can be responsive and help build a community where everyone has opportunities to thrive while fulfilling the desires of our donors,” said Thompson, a former human resources executive with Johnson & Johnson. 

Leadership Notes

Significant milestones for the Community Foundation accomplished under Jerde’s leadership include:

• Growing assets under management from $190 million in charitable dollars to over $520 million, with a projection to exceed $1 billion in the next decade.
• Nearly doubling the number of funds under management from 811 to more than 1,580 funds.
• Setting sound fiscal policies guiding the foundation’s operating reserves and operating endowment.
• Totaling more than $436 million in grants and scholarships throughout the Foundation’s history.
• Launching “The Giving Partner” – an online nonprofit database – in 2012 to provide greater transparency around nonprofit operations, management, and impact; more than 700 local nonprofits have extensive profiles on the platform www.TheGivingPartner.com.
• Creating the successful “Giving Challenge” online fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $92 million in unrestricted funds through nine challenges since 2012; the 2024 Giving Challenge raised $17.2 million for 724 nonprofits.
• Growing the “Season of Sharing” community support campaign to more than $4 million a year in annual contributions that aid with those in crisis by providing immediate assistance with rent/mortgage, utilities, childcare, and transportation expenses so families can remain in their homes.
• Initiating successful disaster recovery funds during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Fall 2022’s Hurricane Ian.
• Establishing a national partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute and embedding a whole family “2Gen” strategy into the foundation’s grantmaking philosophy.
• Being recognized for maintaining the highest professional levels, both through The Community Foundations National Standards, and by the Center of Effective Philanthropy.

“I am honored to have been given the opportunity and responsibility to steward the charitable intentions of so many families and individuals throughout my career,” said Jerde, who has nearly 22 years of community foundation leadership, including eight years at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. “Sarasota County is an extraordinary place where smart, caring people work together to create a lasting impact and I am grateful to have worked with those who care so deeply for their neighbors and causes closest to their hearts.  I have witnessed the incredible impact that our collective efforts have had on our community.”

The Community Foundation will share details about the search process later this fall, Thompson said. The foundation board adopted a three-year strategic framework that encompasses the July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025, fiscal year; it will be extended through the following fiscal year, then allowing the new President and CEO to learn and develop a future framework.  

“Roxie has built upon the values that have grounded us for nearly 45 years, and our board is grateful to her for her service and commitment to create an enduring impact on our community through responsive and long-term charitable stewardship,” Thompson said.