FOUNDATION NEWS, No. 2/Fall 2007 (October 2007)
From the Chairman--
Charting a positive course
Lt. Gen. Robert Arter, U.S. Army, Ret.
Real and significant progress has been made since we opened our doors in February 2006. Our econd annual Board of Trustees meeting was conducted in the new Command and General taff College Lewis and Clark Center on the Army’s Birthday, June 14. We elected new trustees o expand our board to reflect national representation, and elected Maj. Gen. Ray Barrett, U.S. Army, Ret., as Vice-Chairman, a new position, and Hyrum Smith as the new Vice President. This expands our trustees to 54 individuals and the Executive Committee to seven. Additionally, we granted $16,500 to the College and received acceptance of this gift from Army Secretary Peter Geren, received a clean bill of health from an accounting firm that completed our first financial review and filed our first IRS Form 990 for 2006. As such, we have just completed our first annual cycle of activities in good form.
Since the early stages of our development, we set a goal to establish an endowment of $10 billion, a significant undertaking for such a young organization. Over a10-month period we reviewed proposals, received briefings and interviewed firms that assist nonprofit organizations in raising money. The executive committee selected a nationally recognized fundraising counsel with impeccable credentials to lead a capital campaign to help us establish our endowment, and in the near term raise capital to endow a General Colin L. Powell academic chair and lecture series.We are indeed pleased and honored that General Powell is supportive of the chair and lecture series.
Regarding the foundation’s status, I am reminded of an old Tennessee expression, “If you can brag without lying, brag!” Rarely has such a young organization made such extraordinary progress. As we reported in the annual report that was included in our last issue of the CGSC Foundation News, our short term goal was to raise $1 million by the summer of 2008. If current trends continue we shall reach that level before the end of this year. Thanks to our trustees, corporate partners, staff, faculty, students, alumni, and friends of the College we have charted a positive course for the future that will enable us to provide meaningful and sustainable programs and activities for the College to assist in its mission of preparing leaders for the 21st century. I thank you and ask for your continued support in this noble endeavor.
Finally, and with great personal pleasure and admiration, and on behalf of the foundation, I extend a warm welcome to Lieutenant General and Mrs. William B. Caldwell, IV, our new commandant and first lady.
