Please join us as we say THANK YOU to Frank Roberts for his time and service on the DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors. Frank served on the Community Foundation Board from 2010-2018. Beginning in 2017, Frank took on the role of Board President for his final two years. He served as a representative for DeKalb, a community that he loves for its people and their engagement with Northern Illinois University.

During his time on the Board, Frank served on a variety of Foundation committees including Executive, Finance, Marketing & Development, Community Grants, Advancing DeKalb County, Economic Development Grants, Governance, and Strategic Planning.

In a recent interview, we asked Frank to talk through a few of his favorite takeaways in which he responded, “I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet and work with inspiring people who are committed to bettering the lives for those in DeKalb County. I learned a lot about philanthropy – what it really is, how it works, donor relations – all of it.  It has been very eye opening and rewarding. Plus, the commitment of the staff is tremendous, they deeply care about community issues and the people.”

One of his favorite committees to serve on was Executive. “For each meeting, I looked forward to having important conversations with really good people about issues and opportunities facing our community,” said Frank. “Those meetings would lead to further discussions on how the Community Foundation might best help to address them with action and available dollars.”

In a final question, we asked Frank if he had any advice to share with new and future Board members. “Be committed to the work and be patient,” is what he said. “It takes time to grasp all the various aspects of the DeKalb County Community Foundation. Understand your role as a Board member and offer to serve on a variety of committees. Be sure to have fun and remember, it’s a great privilege to serve on the Board.”

Thank you Frank Roberts for giving of your time, talent, and treasure to DeKalb County. Your humor, quick wit, leadership, and desire to serve our community is greatly appreciated. You are a true philanthropist and for that, we are grateful!