Foundation outlines priorities with new leader
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation in Merrillville has outlined its strategic priorities now that Bill Hanna has begun his tenure as executive director. Hanna joined the foundation after 10 years leading the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.
The foundation says Hanna will support its mission to “contribute to sustainable economic and social wellbeing of Northwest Indiana and the surrounding area.
“Bill is known for cultivating legacy projects that support the health, wellness and economic sustainability of the Region,” Foundation Trustee Bruce White said in a news release. “He’s a catalyst for progress and good things, and will be tasked with supporting my parents’ – and the entire White Family’s – vision, while maximizing the long-term investments of the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation.”
The foundation says it will invest in projects throughout the region that align with its new strategic priorities. They include economic development investments to boost quality of life, self-sustainable projects that do not require consistent, ongoing funding from the foundation, projects that create a benefit for the entire community, and projects that include matching gifts to multiply the impact on the community.
The foundation says it has invested more than $46 million over the past five years for a variety of projects, including most recently $10 million for the new Merrillville community Center and more than $1 million in COVID-19 recovery efforts.