Kellogg Foundation Names New CEO

Sterling Speirn of San Mateo, California, has been named as the new president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Speirn, who is currently the president and CEO of Peninsula Community Foundation, a leader in Peninsula and Silicon Valley community philanthropy and one of the Bay Area’s largest foundations, will replace William C. Richardson, who will retire from the Foundation December 31, 2005.

“We believe that Sterling Speirn has the proven ability to continue the Foundation’s mission in new and exciting ways,” said Hanmin Liu, Kellogg Foundation Board chair. “Speirn understands that much of the change we see today happens at the local level. Importantly, he brings to the Foundation experience and understanding of giving at the local level. This experience, coupled with his unique combination of professional and personal strengths makes him extremely well-qualified to lead one of the world’s largest philanthropies.”

Speirn will be one of a handful of presidents who have led the Foundation since it was established by breakfast cereal pioneer W.K. Kellogg in 1930. “Being asked to serve as the Foundation’s president and CEO is both an honor and a privilege,” said Speirn. “The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has a welldeserved reputation as an exemplary leader in the field of philanthropy. Its record of innovation, its commitment to the values and vision of its founder, its stewardship of resources, and its partnership and support of strong leaders and More institutions have created a truly unique record over the past 75 years. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the Kellogg Foundation’s work and the success of the Foundation embodied by its grantees. For me, there is no more important or meaningful work.”

Speirn’s own professional background closely matches the interests of the Kellogg Foundation. Over his career, he has worked on a variety of concerns, from addressing health care issues to promoting sustainable agriculture, from serving the needs of youth to building the philanthropic sector. Read Full News Release. 

Photo: Kellogg Foundation