The Community Foundation and the community lost a treasured leader this week. It is with sadness that we share the news that our newly elected Chair, Bill Sterner, passed away on March 31, 2008.

Bill was President/CEO of Elevations Credit Union and an active member of The Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees since 2004. He also lent his expertise and leadership to The Community Foundation’s Finance and Investment Committee.

Under Bill’s guidance, Elevations Credit Union (formerly U of C Federal Credit Union) was the first to seed The Community Foundation’s Millennium Trust Fund. The Millennium Trust was established as a permanent fund of The Community Foundation to serve the needs of Boulder County residents into the future. It was created by donations from thousands of Boulder County residents who each gave their last hour of income in 1999 to help meet the needs of the new millennium in the areas of the arts, environment, civic involvement, education, and/or health and human services. Each year, Millennium Trust donors are selected at random to serve on an advisory committee that determines the Millennium Trust funding priorities for the year and to make grant recommendations to The Community Foundation Board of Trustees. Elevations Credit Union set the bar by matching donations made by their account holders to The Millennium Trust.  Since 1999, Elevations Credit Union has remained involved in The Millennium Trust Grants’ Process by funding additional proposals.

Bill will be remembered for his cheerful and positive presence, his thoughtful way of sharing his experience, and his constant willingness to help The Community Foundation and everyone here succeed. We appreciate his years of service and friendship, and our hearts go out to his family and his many friends and colleagues.

Gifts in Bill’s memory can be made to The Community Trust, The Community Foundation’s unrestricted endowment for Boulder County. To contribute, please contact The Community Foundation at 303-442-0436 or mail a check to 1123 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302.