News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – February 25, 2010 – The Board of Directors of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation (GCRCF) announced today that it has named Dr. Leslie H. Garner Jr., current president of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, as the new president and CEO of the charitable foundation.

As the president and CEO, Garner succeeds Dan Baldwin, who departs on March 5 to be the president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Monterey County in Monterey, Calif.

"The Board of Directors is extremely pleased that Les has decided to join the foundation as its new President/CEO," said Ron Olson, board chair of the GCRCF. "Les brings to the foundation all the attributes the board was seeking in a CEO and, in addition, his knowledge of the community and his reputation as a leader in the community will be a significant benefit to the foundation. He is the perfect person to lead the foundation forward at this point in the life of the foundation."

"The Presidency of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is a wonderful opportunity," said Garner. "I appreciate the confidence of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and I am enthusiastic about working with the Board and the Foundation staff in support of the critical role the Foundation plays in the community. Dan Baldwin has given excellent leadership to the Foundation and the community during his presidency, and I look forward to the challenge of continuing that tradition."

Garner became president of Cornell College on Aug. 1, 1994. He graduated with highest honors from the University of North Carolina in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He received his master's and doctoral degrees in public policy from Harvard University in 1974 and 1985 respectively.

From 1987 to 1994, Garner was president of North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, N.C. Prior to this appointment, he served as assistant professor of business administration and director of the Young Executives Institute at the University of North Carolina. Between 1974 and 1977, he served as special assistant to the director at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburge, Austria.

His curriculum vitae includes a number of publications, including his book Leadership in Human Services published in 1989.

Garner is Past-President of the Board of the Cedar Rapids Symphony and Past-Chair of the Board of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Garner serves on the boards of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges (IAICU), the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church (NASCUMC) and the North Central Association Higher Learning Commission. He has served as Chair of the Board of the ACM, IAICU, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Iowa College Foundation.

Garner and his wife, Katrina, have two sons in their 20s: Brantley and William.

Garner will begin his role as president and CEO of the GCRCF in early- to mid July. Karla Twedt-Ball, current vice president of programs at the foundation, will continue acting as interim president and CEO until that time.

The GCRCF holds more than 500 funds, both endowed and non-endowed, and more than 40 agency endowments. The charitable foundation has total assets of approximately $95 million, and unrestricted assets of more than $25 million. In 2009, it issued more than 1,000 grants totaling $8.5 million to 326 nonprofits. It currently has a staff of 13 employees.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is a critical resource for Linn County, Iowa, by funding nonprofit activities in four essential areas: Arts and Culture, Community Development and the Environment, Education and Health and Human Services. With total assets of $95 million in December 2009, the mission of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is to connect donors to the priorities they care about and to the needs of the community, to increase charitable giving and to provide leadership on important community issues. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site at www.gcrcf.org

For good. For ever.

Media Contact: Ron Olson, Board Chair

ROlson@PaulsonElectric.com

Direct Line (preferred): 319-734-3101

Cell Phone: 319-360-1664