About

About HCCF

The Hancock County Community Foundation (HCCF) was created by and for the people in our local area in 1992. Its core purpose is to assist you in helping others. HCCF is a nonprofit, public charity that promotes local philanthropy, convenes community initiatives, and supports nonprofit organizations. By focusing on philanthropy with a kind heart and strategic mind we:

• Help people give more efficiently and effectively
• Help donors extend giving beyond their lifetime to their favorite causes both here and afar
• Strengthen nonprofit programs that address community needs
• Strengthen communities through strategic grantmaking
• Convene community groups for common causes

There are very good reasons people choose to give through the Hancock County Community Foundation!

• We are a local organization with deep roots in the community.
• We understand the community’s issues and needs, and work with area organizations to coordinate resources in order to create positive change.
• We offer the flexibility for you to give locally, nationally, or abroad.
• We provide personalized and completely confidential service tailored to each individual’s charitable and financial interests.
• We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts; We are responsible stewards.

Give Where You Live, Grow Where You Live!

Every gift, regardless of size, makes a lasting difference to a cause that matters to you. There are more than 270 funds from which you may choose to make a permanent gift, or if so inclined, you may create your own endowment fund. Creating a fund within the Hancock County Community Foundation is an easy process. By working with you individually, as well as your financial advisor, the staff at the Community Foundation is able to customize a fund to achieve your philanthropic goals which may lead to:

• Income tax savings
• Charitable tax deductions
• Estate and gift tax savings
• Increased lifetime income

Our Mission and Vision

Our Mission: We provide philanthropic leadership by encouraging giving, learning, community pride, and civic engagement.

Our Vision: We envision a county in which each person has the opportunity to pursue dreams, enjoy daily life, and invest in meaningful causes.

Our Vision for the Future

Leadership of any successful organization will share the value of celebrating lessons learned of the past with a focus on improving in the present and beyond. The core business of the Board of Directors in 2016, was to define the role of the Hancock County Community Foundation in the future of our community’s continued success. It was hard and time consuming, but after ten months, a body of work was defined by the input of community members via audience-specific surveys and interviews, a collection of community data, an exploration of other like communities across the country, and careful consideration of our organization’s capacity to meet defined objectives effectively.

I. Community Impact: Strategies to Benefit Hancock County

Initiative: Education Across Ages

Cradle to College: Enable children and youth to have a solid educational foundation
Discover Forever: Enable adults to develop their minds and raise their career prospects

Initiative: Celebrating Communities

Warm Welcomes: Build community pride across Hancock County
Loving Life: Encourage healthy activities and positive relationships

Initiative: Civic Leadership

Path to Excellence: Equip nonprofit entities to pursue their missions efficiently and effectively

II. Spirit of Philanthropy: Strategies for Philanthropy, Productivity, and Prosperity at HCCF

Initiative: Engagement and Giving

Delight Donors and Grantees: Be a trusted and encouraging partner who helps donors and grantees achieve their dreams
Fund the Future: Enjoy financial flexibility, long-term support and impact, and leverage
Measure and Map What Matters: Be alert, intentional, thoughtful, and reflective in the ways we address community issues and opportunities
Spread the Spirit: Give residents of all ages an appreciation for the value of philanthropy
Serve and Seek Perspective: Engage and reflect through dialog with community leaders

Our Staff

Mary Gibble | President

Marie Felver | Vice President of Finance + Operations

Katie Ottinger | Community Investment + Grants Officer

Amber Sermersheim | Advancement Officer

Janet White | Education Officer

Emily Wethington | Communications Manager

Carol Reynolds | Administrative Associate

Thank you to Marty Moran at Whitehot Headshot for providing the HCCF staff with quality head shots.

Josh Daugherty, Chair

Sugar Creek Township
Wealth Manager
PNC Bank

Florence May, Vice-Chair

Vernon Township
President
TRS, The Registration System

Ryan Hammons, Treasurer

Center Township
Controller, CPA
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust

Linda Muegge, Secretary

Blue River Township
Retired owner, CGS Services, Inc.

Bob Bogigian, Chair Emeritus

Center Township
Retired attorney
Dickman, Reason, Bogigian, White

Jan Viehweg, Grantmaking Committee Chair

Buck Creek Township
Self-Employed
Nonprofit Consultant

Susan Bennett, Education Committee Chair

Center Township
Retired School Administrator
Mt Vernon Schools

Stephanie White-Longworth, Board Development Committee Chair

Jackson Township
Retired, President
Gas America Services

Sandy Miller, Women’s Fund Committee Chair

Center Township
Retired, President
FGS, A WellPoint Organization

Dr. Harold Olin

Center Township
Superintendent
Greenfield-Central School Corporation

Ariel Schoen

Vernon Township
Attorney
Brand and Morelock

Terry Tillett, Finance Committee Chair

Center Township
Financial Advisor
Tillett Financial

Dr. Lori Wean

Center Township
Pediatrician
Hancock Pediatrics

Bill Weldon

Green Township
Chief Operating Officer
ASCUS Biosciences

Gary Edwards

Buck Creek Township
Self-Employed Farmer
Edwards Farms

Lorraine Ewing, Imagination Library Committee Chair

Center Township
Retired
Family Consumer Sciences Teacher

Darvin Fenter

Sugar Creek Township
Retired, President
Fenter Construction, Inc.

Kevin Harvey

Sugar Creek Township
Partner
Allen Wellman McNew Harvey

Miles Hercamp

Sugar Creek Township
Director of Instruction
Southern Hancock School Corporation

Kellie Johnson

Vernon Township
Assistant Vice President and McCordsville Branch Manager
Greenfield Banking Company

Rick Wittgren

Blue River Township
Partner
BKD, LLP

Executive Committee

Josh Daughery
Chair

Florence May
Vice-Chair

Ryan Hammons
Treasurer

Linda Muegge
Secretary

Stephanie White-Longworth
Board Development Committee Chair

Terry Tillett
Finance Committee Chair

Susan Bennett
Education Committee Chair

Jan Viehweg
Grantmaking Committee Chair

Sandy Miller
Women’s Fund Committee Chair

Bob Bogigian
Chair Emeritus

Board Development Committee

Stephanie White-Longworth
Chair

Bill Weldon
Vice-Chair

Gary Edwards

Lori Wean

Fred Powers
Emeritus Board Member

Tim Clark
Emeritus Board Member

Jim Miller
Emeritus Board Member

Rick Edwards
Emeritus Board Member

Ann Vail
Emeritus Board Member

Finance Committee

Terry Tillett
Committee Chair

Kevin Harvey
Vice Chair

Darvin Fenter

Florence May

Rick Wittgren

William McKinney
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Jon Miller
Emeritus Board Member

Tom Seng
Emeritus Board Member

Education Committee

Susan Bennett
Chair

Ariel Morelock Schoen
Vice Chair

Linda Muegge

Bob Bogigian

Barbara Campbell

Mark Anderson
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Bill Riggs
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Darrell Thomas
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Myra Bleill
Emeritus Board Member

Karen Tarver
Emeritus Board Member

Grantmaking Committee

Jan Viehweg
Chair

Miles Hercamp
Vice-Chair

Kellie Johnson

Ryan Hammons

Dr. Harold Olin

Wayne Addison
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Rob Matt
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Kate Jack
Non-Board Committee Volunteer

Leah Janes
Emeritus Board Member

Women’s Fund Committee

Sandy Miller
Chair

Kandice Conner
Power of the Purse
Team Lead

Emeritus Board

Membership:  The Emeritus Board membership consists of individuals who have served the Hancock County Community Foundation as Directors for at least a full term, but are no longer active in that capacity.  A single full term of service shall deem the Board member tenured.

Purpose:  To recognize all Directors in perpetuity for their years of service to the Hancock County Community Foundation and the Hancock County community

1. To provide an opportunity for all past and present Directors to come together
2. To update former Directors on the Foundation’s activities
3. To encourage former Directors to continue to work on behalf of the Foundation, including service as voting members on HCCF committees (The number of Emeritus Board members on each committee should not exceed two (2).)
4. To encourage former Directors to continue their philanthropic giving to the Foundation

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS

Armin Apple, Thomas Bloodgood, Bert L. Curry, Ron Dezelan, Ann Osborne, Paul Easton, Donald Hatke, Alan Helms, Clark Ketchum, Donald L. Myers, Ronald R. Pritzke, Roger Reason, John Scott, Joseph A. Smith, Marciann Miller, Jerry Walker, and Linda Zimmermann

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERSHIP

A list of the members of this esteemed group, who have each served a minimum of one full and complete three-consecutive-year term, follows:

*In memoriam