Fred D. Learey, retired CEO of GTE in Florida served as founding chairman of an initial board of 42 community leaders. George Baxter, a CPA, along with his wife Deborah, were the founding staff members and served the Foundation as President and Director of Public Information, respectively, until 2003 when David J. Fischer became its President and CEO.

Affiliate divisions of the Foundation include the Community Foundation of Greater Sun City Center, founded in 1992; the Community Foundation of Pasco County, founded in 2002; the Community Foundation of Greater St. Petersburg, founded in 2004; and the Community Foundation of Hernando County, founded in 2006.


Growth of Foundation Assets and Grant Making
The first community foundation was formed in Cleveland in 1914. Today there are more than 700 community foundations nationally with assets of over $44 billion. The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay is among the top five of Florida's twenty-three community foundations in total assets, and, as such, has been one of the fastest growing in the state.

In contrast to many community foundations, which typically have taken ten to twenty years to amass the first million dollars in assets, our Foundation has experienced rapid growth. An anonymous donor contributed the first significant gift exceeding $2 million at the end of December 1990.

Growth has been impressive since that time. Assets of the Foundation as of March 2008 are more than $140 million. More importantly, to the benefit of our community and a testament to the generosity of our donors, cumulative grant making has surpassed $82 million since 1990. A commitment to provide donors with excellent service, plus dedicated volunteer trustees and committee members, creative and pro-active grant making, and a close working relationship with estate planners account for this dramatic growth.


Acknowledging the Efforts of Our Community Visionaries
The good citizens who have had the foresight to recognize the value of the Community Foundation and who have devoted considerable time and effort toward its initial success deserve great credit.

Chairs of the Board of Trustees who have dedicated their talent and energy to building this foundation from 1990 through 2008 are Fred D. Learey, H. Doyle Harvill, James H. Shimberg, Jerry L. Williams, G. Robert Blanchard, Barbara Romano, Joseph Garcia,
Frank J. Rief III, and Bill Starkey.