Ellen Bisson, currently the Chief Operating Officer of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital, has been a Foundation board member for nine years. She got her start with the Foundation when she was elected to the board to represent Cameron Memorial Community Hospital.  Since she has been on the board she has held multiple positions including, the Board Chair, Vice Chair, and also served as the Chair for the Asset Development Committee. 
             What Ellen likes best about the Community Foundation is that we were able to obtain our new office location through our many generous donors.  She also likes the focus that the Foundation has on the future of Steuben County, as she has spent most of her life as a Steuben County try resident.  Ellen believes that the goals of the Foundation are supportive of the needs of the community, which means the Foundation is doing a great job at putting its resources where the community needs it most.  She appreciates the giving spirit of all the organizations and people involved in the Foundation's success.  The funds that the Foundation has encompass all of the community and the Foundation exists to preserve the quality of life in Steuben County.  

As for what she would like to see improved with the Foundation, she said that the Foundation could have more internet interaction and have a larger asset base for proactive granters to give to important initiatives in the community.  The greatest accomplishments that Ellen feels have happened to the Foundation since she has been on the board are that the Foundation has become more visible in the community and more people are aware of what the Foundation does in our community.  By moving to the current location the Foundation has heightened awareness, visibility, and accessibility of the foundation.

Kim Tubergen

Kim Tubergen, an insurance agent and a co-owner of Jacob Insurance Service, has been involved with the Community Foundation since the mid 90's when he was on the Finance Committee.  In 2003 he became a Foundation board member.  Kim became involved with the Foundation because of his involvement with the Chamber and the United Way.  In college Kim majored in business economics and finance.  When the opportunity arose to be on the Finance Committee he didn't want to pass up that opportunity.  Since Kim has been on the board he has held four positions, including Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair. He has also served as the Chair of the Finance Committee. 

What Kim likes best about the Foundation is that the mission statement says exactly what the Foundation does for the community, "Connecting people who care with needs that matter to our community."  Kim also likes the feeling that he gets when he  knows he is doing something for the betterment of the community. Kim's ultimate goals for the Foundation are that he would like to see the Foundation become self supporting through its management fees and the operations endowment fund so that the Foundation doesn't need to raise additional money for operations.  He would also like to see the Foundation continue to be a leader in the community now and in the future.

Kim believes the greatest accomplishments that have happened since he has been on the board are the number of funds the Foundation manages has continued to grow; the acquisition of the new office building; and, the continuation of donors' generosity. The biggest accomplishment is the relationship with I-MAN that the Foundation has made and the impact that it will have on our Steuben County Community.  

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