Bill King, who's been president of the Minnesota Council on Foundations for 12 years, says he will step down at the end of June.
King, 62, has been with MCF for 25 years. He said in a statement that he "will miss the terrific people who give so generously to our communities through foundations and corporate giving programs" but that it's time to move in a different direction:
"I’m eager to step away from the day-to-day rush of running an association and to take time to reflect on what’s next for me, whether that’s one more full-time professional position, a step toward part-time work or full retirement. In any event, I’ll continue to be a passionate supporter of philanthropy and volunteerism in our state."
MCF Board Chair Kevin Walker, who was just elected to a second term, praised King's work:
"Under Bill King’s leadership, MCF has provided consistently excellent service to its members and strengthened philanthropy in Minnesota. Bill has also positioned MCF as a national leader that is widely respected within the field of philanthropy for its early and innovative efforts on diversity research, public policy work and more."
King has worked on other civic projects: He serves on the board of WINGS (Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support) in Sao Paulo, Brazil; is a past chair of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, and represented regional philanthropy on the board of the national Council on Foundations; and has served on and chaired many other nonprofit boards.
A search committee for King's successor will be led by MCF board member Nancy Nelson, of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.