Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/112770
UPFRONT face time P H OTO G R A P H B Y B i l l K ap i n s k i / I M A G E S T U D I O S , F O R I N SI G H T Curt Detjen Curt Detjen is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Fox Cities, a 26-year-old organization that now grants about $12 million a year to various organizations and causes within the region. Insight Associate Editor Nikki Kallio talked with Detjen about the foundation���s role as one of the premier charitable organizations not only in the Fox Valley but in the nation. w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m on giving in the Fox Cities Everything we do is about the donors and about quality of life, especially within our Fox Valley region. The organization has enjoyed just a wonderful and sustained track record of growth that reflects the charitable and giving nature of the people who live in this part of the country. Today the foundation is in the top 60 of all community foundations nationally, in the same level of ranking as the community like Dallas and New Orleans. Many communities like to talk about the fact that they have people who are philanthropic and want to give back, but this part of the country I think is superlative in that respect. There���s a culture and an expectation of people who live in this area to be involved in their communities ��� corporations, businesses, organizations of all types expect their leadership to be involved in community affairs. People really do get involved here. They take leadership and initiative, and they look to give back in a way that���s very unique and very different than other areas of the country. That���s the reason the foundation has grown so phenomenally well over the years, because it is an organization that���s just about providing an excellent level of service to our donors. They trust us, they know us, we���re involved in a [continued] �� M a r c h 2 013 ��� Insight | 17