Big ideas require big decisions and follow up



Big ideas require big decisions and follow up

We recently conducted our semi-annual board of trustees meeting here at Fort Leavenworth. These are always high stress exercises because our trustees are our governing body and they have momentous decisions to make about the future of the Foundation. This meeting was no different. – We focused on big ideas that require big decisions and follow up. Fortunately, our board is dedicated to the Foundation’s mission and dedicated to the education of military leaders of character and competence for service to the nation.

Lt. Gen. Robert B. Brown, CGSC Commandant and Combined Arms Center Commander, shakes hands with Foundation trustee Jim Mackay and all the trustees after his remarks at the Foundation board meeting March 31, 2016.

Lt. Gen. Robert B. Brown, CGSC Commandant and Combined Arms Center Commander, shakes hands with Foundation trustee Jim Mackay and all the trustees after his remarks at the Foundation board meeting March 31, 2016.

We had a great visit with Lt. Gen. Bob Brown, the CGSC Commandant and Combined Arms Center commander, along with Brig. Gen. John Kem, the CGSC Deputy Commandant and Army University Provost. Their energy and support for the Foundation’s mission was evident to our trustees. The entire board appreciates the leadership support that the Foundation receives as we pursue our mission.

The board had to make a major decision whether or not to pursue funding for a “Distinguished Visiting Chair for Leader Development.” In October 2015, the Foundation board authorized the staff to do the legwork required to put together a proposal for CGSC to provide a distinguished leader as a visiting chair in support of CGSC, Army University, Center for Army Leadership, and other supported organizations. The chair will support CGSC schools and departments with expertise in leader development and executive leadership in organizational change management and junior leader development on a periodic basis. The chair will be a distinguished leader of business, academia, or a senior military leader with an exceptional record of leading large organizations. The board voted unanimously to pursue funding for this program and a number of our trustees will lead the effort to find donors for this major program. I’ll keep you informed of our progress.

The board also had to make decisions on the future direction of the Colonel Arthur D. “Bull” Simons Center for Interagency Cooperation. The Center is a major program of the Foundation funded by a generous grant from the Perot Foundation. We recently announced that Col. (Ret.) Rod Cox was hired to be the Center’s new program director. Prior to retiring from the Army, Rod was the director of the Combat Studies Institute, so he is familiar with a research center’s mission and operations. The Center’s advisory council met and reported to the board on the direction that we need the Center to move in order to better support the CGSC interagency educational programs. You’ll see more on this subject in the near future as we more closely align the Center with CGSC.

We have a fairly ambitious program of work as well as an ambitious fundraising program to support our efforts. We can use your help…

The board approved a number of smaller issues associated with our endowment programs. We will be highlighting these programs in the coming weeks as individual articles on our website. They give the Foundation the ability to dedicate funds for specific programs including international officer spouse and family programs, international officer sponsor programs, awards for academic excellence and mission support for the College for all students and faculty. More information will be out soon.

Finally, the board approved recommendations from our development and program committees for 2016. We have a fairly ambitious program of work as well as an ambitious fundraising program to support our efforts. We can use your help in keeping the Foundation moving forward in this, our tenth year of service to the College.

Doug Tystad
Chief Executive Officer
CGSC Foundation, Inc.

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