Suzie Light Announces Upcoming Retirement Plan
Kosciusko County Community Foundation’s long-time CEO, Suzie Light, has announced that she will step down from her position as CEO effective, March 1, 2020, in anticipation of her full retirement effective, June 30, 2020.
In May of 2019, Suzie notified the Board of her future plans to retire. At that time, the Board executed the Succession Plan they adopted in 2017, followed the process outlined within, and named Stephanie Overbey as the successor CEO of the Community Foundation. Stephanie has been with the Community Foundation in a number of leadership positions since 2000 and currently serves as the Associate Director.
Suzie began her tenure with the Community Foundation on August 7, 1993 as the Assistant Director. In 1995, she was promoted to Executive Director, a position now called CEO. During Suzie’s leadership, the Community Foundation’s assets grew from just over $400,000 to more than $62 Million. The Community Foundation now awards more than $3 million in grants annually, an amount 7.5 times greater than the total asset size of the Foundation when she started. Suzie has led the Community Foundation in the stewardship of a diverse board of directors, strong donor base and best practices in investing and grantmaking. Philanthropic professionals across the state of Indiana seek her out for her guidance and advice.
Suzie’s achievements as CEO are vast and measurable, but as remarkable as those things that can be measured, are the things that cannot be measured: The relationships she has built with donors and with area nonprofits, and the spirit of generosity and civic engagement that she embodies.
At the same time as we celebrate and acknowledge Suzie’s influence on the Community Foundation over the last 27 years, we are excited about the Community Foundation’s future. We anticipate new and greater impact than ever before, and are confident in Stephanie Overbey to lead the next chapter of the Foundation’s story.
Stephanie Overbey began her tenure with the Kosciusko County Community Foundation on February 14, 2000 when she was hired to fill the Foundation’s newly created Program Officer position. Since that time, Stephanie has been promoted numerous times, serving as Program Director, Communications Director and most recently as Associate Director.
In her various leadership roles with the Community Foundation, Stephanie:
• Managed the Foundation’s scholarship program,
• Managed the Foundation’s Community/Unrestricted grant program,
• Recruited, trained and supported hundreds of Foundation volunteers,
• Authored and implemented the Foundation’s marketing plan, marketing
budget and communication pieces,
• Organized strategic planning efforts of the Board,
• Helped train/orient new board members,
• Fulfilled numerous human resources functions including the development of personnel policies, staff training, and wage and benefits research,
• Built collaboration among public and private partners to meet community needs identified as priorities by the Board, specifically in the areas of child care and early learning and workforce development,
• Provided staff support to various Board committees including: Grant, Scholarship, Governance, Public Relations, Finance/Investment and Executive,
• Engaged in fundraising and donor development serving specific donor groups and initiatives,
• Fulfilled the duties of the CEO in the absence of the CEO (vacations).
Stephanie earned an undergraduate degree in Communications from Ball State University and a Masters of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She is also a graduate of Kosciusko Leadership Academy and the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Services Series.
Stephanie has a heart for community service. A few of her volunteer and civic affiliations include:
• Advisory Council, LaunchPad Child Care and Early Learning Coalition
• Member, Kosciusko Human Resources Assoc.
• Board Member & Legislative Action Committee Member, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance
• Board of Directors, Gradway
• Member, Warsaw Rotary Club
Stephanie and her husband, Jamie, reside in Silver Lake with their three children.