Butler Family Fund

The Board of the Butler Family Fund meets twice a year, once in the late spring and once in the fall. The Board does not make grants in between Board meetings.

In the mid 1990s we developed a plan to address the challenge of succession. Members of the second generation (there are 17 in all) were invited to serve rotating terms on the board—generally in groups of three—for three year periods. Younger member enjoyed virtually full rights during that period. To qualify for board service, members of the younger generation attended at least one full board meeting. To stay abreast of the Fund’s activity once their term was up, the board paid for younger family members to attend board meetings.

In November 2003, the board voted to turn over control of the board to the younger when the third cycle of younger members had completed their terms (December, 2006). The eldest member of the second generation, Eve B. Wildrick, was selected to take on the presidency at that time. The by-laws were changed to allow three members of the founding generation to continue service for four more years, and a staggered rotation system was set up for the second generation to begin their governance of the Fund.