FFA Foundation Chooses President
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis-based National FFA Foundation has named Molly Ball president. She most recently served as vice president for development and college relations at Monmouth College in Illinois. She is also the former head of the Michigan FFA Foundation.
August 19, 2013
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — The National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees announced today that it has selected a highly experienced and accomplished fund-raising professional to serve as its next president.
Molly A. Ball, CFRM, has served as vice president for development and college relations at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Ill. Since 2010, she has directed all facets of fundraising for the college, including annual strategic planning, corporate and individual giving, board member cultivation and training, alumni relations, advancement services, marketing and communications and more.
Kincannon & Reed, a leading global executive search firm focused on the food and agribusiness sectors, conducted a nationwide search for the position. Ball will lead the foundation that last year raised a record $20.8 million through corporate and private contributions. She was selected based on achievements over the past 15 years while strategically managing major fund-raising campaigns in higher education and non-profit sectors.
“Ball brings a wealth of experience, proven philanthropic leadership and a diverse skill set to the National FFA Foundation,” said Mark Timm, chairman of the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. “She is deeply committed to the traditions and mission of the National FFA Organization. She will bring passion, high energy and enthusiasm to our team of fund-raising professionals charged with securing critical financial resources required to provide premier growth, leadership and personal growth opportunities to FFA members throughout the country each day.”
Before joining Monmouth College, Ball held titles of executive director of development and senior major gift officer at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Mich.; executive director of the Michigan FFA Foundation; and regional representative with Farm Bureau serving both Lansing and Howell, Mich.
Civically, she serves on the policy committee of the Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce and is co-chairwoman of the capital campaign committee and a parent-teacher organization member at Immaculate Conception Church and School in Monmouth. Ball is a past board member of the Michigan chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals; a former education committee member of the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals; and past member of both the Council for Advancement Support of Education and the Kalamazoo Area Junior league
Originally from Vicksburg, Mich., Ball earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture and natural resources communications with emphasis on agribusiness management and marketing from Michigan State University. She received her Certified Fund-Raising Manager accreditation from the Indiana University Center of Philanthropy. A former FFA member in high school, Ball served an internship at the National FFA Organization after college, joined the organization as a communications specialist and later was named individual giving manager with the foundation.
The National FFA Foundation is the fundraising arm of the National FFA Organization, which provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 557,318 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,498 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agriculture education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees comprised of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA alumni, the foundation is a separately-registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of all sponsorship dollars received by the foundation support FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit the National FFA Foundation at http://www.FFA.org/Give.
About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 557,318 student members as part of 7,498 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at www.FFA.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.
Source: National FFA Organization