May 14, 2018
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Appoints Mary Jane Rynd as New CEO
VIRGINIA G. PIPER CHARITABLE TRUST Press Release
MAY 14, 2018
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Appoints Mary Jane Rynd as New CEO
Dr. Susan Pepin Leaves Post to Join ASU’s New Office of Health and Clinical Partnerships
Mary Jane Rynd
PHOENIX, Ariz.—The board of trustees of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has named Mary Jane Rynd, a 17-year Trust veteran, as president and CEO. Rynd is replacing Dr. Susan Pepin, who is leaving after four years to join Arizona State University (ASU) as managing director of its new Office of Health and Clinical Partnerships. Rynd has been serving as executive vice president and assumes her new duties at the helm of the Trust starting June 2, 2018.
As the largest private foundation in Arizona, Piper Trust aligns its grantmaking with a commitment to improving health, well-being, and opportunity for the people of Maricopa County in six core program areas: arts and culture, children, education, healthcare and medical research, older adults, and religious organizations. The Trust was established in 1995 by Virginia Galvin Piper, widow of Motorola founder Paul V. Galvin. Piper, fondly thought of as “the living room philanthropist,” led the Trust until her death in 1999.
Rynd worked with Virginia Galvin Piper, serving as her tax adviser and helping her establish a charitable legacy—what Piper called “a moment-to-moment, dignified responsibility of a truly high calling in human affairs and human relations.”
Since 2014, Pepin has led the Trust’s vision as it seeks to advance work in its core program areas and enhance the overall health and well-being of the community.
“Drawing on her extensive experience in medicine and academia, Dr. Pepin has fostered an environment where staff is encouraged to approach our mission for advancing a robust range of initiatives, from grantmaking to long-term projects, through a lens of resilience and learning,” said James D. Bruner, trustee of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, speaking on behalf of the board.
“We are enormously grateful to Sue for her years of dedication to the Trust and its mission,” said Bruner. “We wish her the best in her new position at ASU and know we will be continuing to work with her for the benefit of both institutions and the community at large.”
“I am so proud of all we’ve accomplished during my leadership of Piper Trust. I remain deeply committed to the health of our community as I take on new roles at ASU where I can continue to support the Trust’s significant mission to enrich health and well-being for all,” said Pepin.
Before joining the Trust, Rynd was a KPMG partner and a founding partner at Rynd, Carneal & Ewing. Rynd’s 17-year tenure, solid leadership skills, and contributions to the Trust’s enduring, sound fiscal position were instrumental in guiding the trustees’ selection. Rynd is uniquely positioned to continue the Trust’s momentum built under that of former CEO and current trustee, Dr. Judy Mohraz and continued by Sue, Bruner said.
Rynd has served on various for-profit and nonprofit boards including Foundation Financial Officers Group, Arizona Society of CPAs, Arizona Grantmakers Forum, and currently serves on the board of Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation. Rynd is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a master of professional accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.
“I had the good fortune to witness firsthand Virginia’s commitment to maintaining her philanthropy with honor, loyalty, and integrity,” said Rynd. “I will continue to pull from those experiences and to learn from the example set by this extraordinary woman of character—a woman who was ever gracious and kind to people from all walks of life; whose infectious laugh reflected her delightful, self-deprecating sense of humor; who stayed true to her Midwestern values with humility and gratitude. We will continue to uphold Virginia’s legacy through the important and dynamic work of the Trust that bears her name.”
During its current fiscal year, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust plans to invest a total of $22 million in Maricopa County through grants to nonprofits and the funding of its own charitable interests.
About Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, established in 1995, supports organizations that enrich health, well-being, and opportunity for the people of Maricopa County, Arizona. The Trust concentrates its efforts in six areas: arts and culture, children, education, healthcare and medical research, older adults and religious organizations. Since it began awarding grants in 2000, Piper Trust has invested more than $397 million in local nonprofits and programs. For more information, visit pipertrust.org. Follow us on Twitter @PiperTrust; visit us on Facebook.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Karen Leland, 480-556-7125 / kleland@pipertrust.org
Director, Communications and External Relations
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Phoenix, AZ