ABOUT US

Attracting philanthropists to help build a stronger community.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County is growing people’s passions for powerful purposes. We build a stronger community by:
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Serving as a conduit between donors, charitable organizations and community leaders.
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Providing financial and leadership frameworks to consistently grow Ocala/Marion County resources.
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Working proactively with public/private partners to identify issues that impact Ocala/Marion County.
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Convening leadership from public/private/nonprofit partners to explore solutions to community issues.
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Responsibly honoring donor’s intentions in perpetuity.
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Managing assets ethically and effectively to allow maximum growth of funds.
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Operating under established standards of the Council on Foundations.
Frank and Carol Hennessey

OUR HISTORY

In 2007, Frank and Carol Hennessey moved to Ocala and learned there was no local community foundation. Hennessey saw his local giving purpose – the formation of a community foundation. Hennessey reached out to his friend, Robert Reilly, and together they created a local foundation, the Community Foundation for Ocala/ Marion County, incorporated in 2011, to attract other philanthropists to help build a stronger community.

 

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS:

William Chambers, Jr.
Frank M. Hennessey
Col. Edward Johnson, Jr.
Robert Reilly

OUR BOARD

Frank Hennessey
Hennessey Arabians

 

David Midgett
Elder Law Attorney

 

Michael Siboni
Siboni & Buchannan PLLC

 

Bill Chambers
Merrill Lynch

 

Jim Hillebrandt
Retired Manufacturing Executive

Chester Weber
Live Oak Farm

 

Rob Batsel
Gilligan, Gooding, Batsel, Anderson & Phelan, P.A.

 

Jane Fontaine, CFP
Ameriprise Financial
EIS Wealth Management

 

Ken Kirkpatrick
Heritage Management

 

Erika Skula
Advent Health

Thad Boyd
Boyd Development

 

Tom O’Mara
Eligius & Co LLC

 

Steven Lee
Purvis Gray & Company

 

Angie Lewis
Angie Lewis State Farm

 

Doug Cone, III
Cone Distributing Inc

Rusty Branson
SouthState Bank

 

Jon Kurtz
Retired Banker

 

Robert “Bob” Reilly
Director Emeritus, Retired

 

Jim Schneider
Director Emeritus
Saratoga Chips

 

Rich Bianculli
Director Emeritus
Richmond Hill Capital Partners

OUR STAFF

President & Executive Director

In her current role as President & Executive Director of the Community Foundation, she helps to build and cultivate the relationships between potential donors and the community.

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Ashley Wheeler-Gerds

Director of Strategic Engagement

As Director of Strategic Engagement at the Community Foundation, she meets with individuals, businesses, & grantors by encouraging them to partner with the Community Foundation and support the vision to enhance the quality of life for everyone in Marion County.

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Chris D'Avanzo

Communications Specialist

As the Communication Specialist for the Community Foundation, he works to produce high quality content and messaging for the Foundation and its nonprofit partners that help them clearly communicate with the community.

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Director of Finance

As the Account Manager for the Community Foundation, she works to keep track of the daily financial transactions of the Foundation regarding both internal spending and the allocation of grants to local nonprofits.

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As the Grants Manager for the Community Foundation, Roseann assists area nonprofits in the various stages of the grant process, including researching opportunities and generating proposal documents.

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Director of Grant Administration

As Director of Grant Administration for the Community Foundation, Cheri works to connect our community with grants and other resources through identifying and facilitating new and recurring opportunities for addressing the wide array of community needs in Ocala/Marion County. Cheri moved to Ocala in 2019 from the Washington DC region where she worked as the…

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Program Manager

As the Program Manager for the Community Foundation, Jana leads and coordinates programming in line with the strategic plan and a goal to ensure every program delivers the highest possible value to the organization. Jana’s roots run deep being that she is 5th generation Marion County.  She was born in Ocala, Florida at what was…

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Grants Manager

As the Grants Manager for the Community Foundation, Eric assists area nonprofits in the various stages of the grant process, including researching and generating proposal documents. Eric hails from upstate New York’s Hudson Valley and recently relocated full time to Central Florida. He holds a Master’s degree in Humanistic Education from the State University of…

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FOUNDATION FINANCIALS