Community Foundation Leadership Transition Complete

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The leadership transition taking place over the past few months at the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley is officially complete.

After more than 10 years as president of the organization, Shari Harrell retired March 1, and Casey Krell has fully assumed the role of president and chief executive officer.

“Shari has been a strong and inspirational leader for our organization over the past decade, and we are so grateful for everything she put into growing the foundation into what it is today,” said Krell, the foundation’s third president. “We miss her already, but I am excited to take on this new role and keep CFMV moving forward for the benefit of the Valley and its residents.”

The organization celebrated Harrell’s service with a retirement party March 15, where the board of directors also announced the launch of the Harrell Fund for the Community. The endowment was created to commemorate Harrell’s service and help perpetuate her legacy with the organization. As an unrestricted grantmaking fund, the Harrell Fund for the Community will be a flexible resource to proactively address needs and respond to opportunities. 

“This new fund not only honors Shari as the second president of our organization but will build the foundation’s capacity for responding to needs and investing in solutions to our community’s most pressing issues, now and into the future,” said Patricia Sweeney, board chair. “We hope supporters will consider making a gift, no matter the size, to help acknowledge Shari’s lifelong service to the Valley and build this resource for our community.”

Gifts to the Harrell Fund for the Community can be made HERE or by sending a check to CFMV’s main office, 201 E. Commerce St., Suite #150, Youngstown, OH 44503. For more information, call 330 743 5555.

“We are proud to create this fund and help build it to invest back in the community that Shari served for so many years,” Krell said. “And we’ve got a great team here at the foundation working to make her proud as we keep moving forward in our mission to make the Mahoning Valley a better place for all residents.”

Pictured at top: Shari Harrell, left, and Casey Krell.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.