Kevin Broderick Named Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Additions to Board and staff named; firm advised on $130 million of giving in 30 countries in 2005
NEW YORK, April 12, 2006 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors announced today that Kevin P.A. Broderick, has assumed the Chairmanship of its Board. He takes Board leadership of the independent, nonprofit service at a time of expansion, with the organization advising donors on an unprecedented $130 million in more than 30 countries.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ expanded operations are reflected also in the recent addition of Julia Robbins to its Board and Richard McKeon as manager of donor services.
Broderick succeeds Eileen Rockefeller Growald, who had served as Chair since the Rockefeller family established the service in 2002 to offer to a range of donors the sophisticated guidance on effective giving usually available only at major foundations. During her tenure the organization grew to be the leading and largest advisory service of its kind, with a full time staff of 29 serving 125 clients from offices in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
“Global interest in thoughtful, philanthropy is increasing rapidly, creating an exciting period for donors, grantees and advisors alike,” said President and CEO Melissa Berman. “Kevin Broderick’s deep financial expertise and long involvement in philanthropy will serve our clients well as we move into the next phase of our growth. Julia Robbins and Rich McKeon bring our Board and staff, respectively, an exciting blend of considerable philanthropy, nonprofit-management and advisory experience.”
Kevin P.A. Broderick is a principal with Meriwether Capital, a private-equity firm specializing in the acquisition of middle-market companies for long-term investment. He joined Meriwether after retiring from DaimlerChrysler where he had held senior corporate financial positions. He has served on the boards of Rockefeller Financial Services and Rockefeller & Co. since 1998 and currently serves on the board of Segrest Farms Inc. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Seizert Capital Partners, Inc. and the Board of Visitors of the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and was formerly on the Board of BPU Reynolds Alumina, Inc. A longtime resident of the Detroit, Michigan area, Mr. Broderick is immediate past President of the Detroit Historical Society and President of the Board of Trustees of the Grosse Pointe Farms (MI) Foundation.
“The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Board and staff are a dynamic, engaged and passionate group,” said Broderick. “I look forward to working closely with this team to build on the tremendous accomplishments achieved during Eileen Growald’s tenure.”
Mr. Broderick is joined on the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Board by Julia Robbins, who sat on the board of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors at its inception. Ms. Robbins has been a long-time member of the boards of the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Environmental Advocates of New York. As a participant in the Youth, Community Gardens and the Urban Environment funding collaborative at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Ms. Robbins was integral in forming the coalition that saved hundreds of community gardens in New York City from destruction. An environmental lawyer, Ms. Robbins works in the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney General. She holds a BA from Middlebury College, a JD from Fordham University School of Law and an LLM from Pace University School of Law.
The expansion of the Board is echoed in staff growth, as noted by the appointment of Richard F. McKeon as manager of donor services in the New York office. Prior to joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Mr. McKeon spent a decade in retail banking management for Chase and Fleet banks and five years overseeing the FleetBoston Financial Foundation’s grant program in the metro New York market. In this role, he funded hundreds of nonprofit organizations working in community and economic development, youth development, education and arts and culture. He also managed a program for Seedco, a nonprofit community development financial institution that helps small businesses in New York City with financing, marketing and business planning. Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Mr. McKeon as Chair of the New York City Youth Board of the Department of Youth and Community Development. He is currently Chairman of the Board for the Lehman Center, a 2,310-seat performing-arts center affiliated with Lehman College. He previously served as the Treasurer and a member of the Contributions Advisory Group, a New York City-based organization that serves corporate grant makers. Mr. McKeon holds a BA from Fairfield University and an MBA from Fordham University.