The David and Lucile Packard Foundation recently announced that two longstanding board members, Cole Wilbur and William K. Reilly, have retired from their 15 years of service on the Board of Trustees, each having served through June 2014.
Cole Wilbur joined the Board of Trustees in 1999, following a 23-year tenure as the president of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation from 1976 to 1999. During his 38 years of combined service as a trustee, the Foundation’s president and a trusted philanthropic advisor to David and Lucile Packard and their children, Mr. Wilbur guided the Foundation through periods of unprecedented and sustained growth in assets, grantmaking and staff. Among his many contributions, Mr. Wilbur provided critical leadership to establish and build the China Sustainability Energy Program, one of the Foundation’s most important investments to address climate change. He enthusiastically traveled the world to work with grantees and represent the Foundation to in-country and global leadership. He was particularly focused on building relationships to advance the reproductive health agenda within the Foundation’s priority geographies. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Wilbur was the executive director and chief executive officer of the Sierra Club Foundation. Mr. Wilbur continues to serve as an advisor to a number of philanthropic organizations, including the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers and the Council on Foundations.
William K. Reilly also joined the Board of Trustees in 1999, bringing substantial environmental knowledge and expertise. Mr. Reilly is a founding partner of Aqua International Partners, a private equity fund dedicated to investing in companies engaged in water and renewable energy, and a senior advisor to TPG, an international investment partnership. As a trustee, he provided extraordinary wisdom and guidance to the Foundation’s Conservation and Science work, bringing to bear not only his lifelong passion for the environment but also a deep history of leadership as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and leadership roles with various conservation organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, the National Geographic Society, the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, and the President’s Council for Global Development. During his years of service to the Foundation, Mr. Reilly dedicated countless hours to guide and grow the ClimateWorks Foundation, serving as the chair of its board to ensure a successful launch and its continued evolution. His leadership continues today as chairman emeritus of the board of the ClimateWorks Foundation.
“The leadership of Cole and Bill cannot be overstated,” said Carol Larson, president and CEO of the Packard Foundation. “The integrity, passion and guidance they brought to this organization serve as a benchmark for future leaders to follow. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Foundation, I would like to thank Cole and Bill for their longstanding service, wise counsel and commitment to our grantees.”
In special recognition of their services, they have been appointed honorary trustees emeritus of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation expresses its deepest gratitude to Mr. Wilbur and Mr. Reilly for their years of dedicated and valuable service to the Foundation.
