New VP of Programs

Fr: Susan Buckles, APR

Northwest Area Foundation

60 Plato Boulevard East

St. Paul, MN 55107

651-225-3865

sbuckles@nwaf.org

For Immediate Release

GARY CUNNINGHAM JOINS NORTHWEST AREA FOUNDATION AS VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS

ST. PAUL, May 11, 2007: Northwest Area Foundation is pleased to announce that Gary Cunningham has joined the Foundation as Vice President of Programs. He joins the Foundation from NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis where he was Chief Executive Officer and director of primary care for Hennepin County, Minnesota. His first day will be Monday, June 11, 2007.

“We expect Gary’s skills and experience to be significant assets to our organization and to the communities we serve,” said Karl Stauber, president and CEO of the Foundation. “His community leadership skills as well as background in helping low income families overcome poverty will be vital to helping the Foundation move forward in its mission at a critical time of strategic planning.”

As Vice President for Programs, Cunningham will provide strategic direction and management for community activities spanning eight states through three foundation programs: Ventures, Connections and Horizons. His responsibilities will include developing and implementing program and learning/evaluation systems, management for community activities. As a member of the senior management team reporting directly to the CEO, Cunningham will lead a staff of approximately 23 employees.

As CEO of NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, Cunningham developed initiatives that engaged the community, including the Gateway initiative, a program to move low income families out of poverty through increased education and employment skills. He previously served as director of planning and development for Hennepin County, leading policy analysis and strategic planning, with a particular focus on housing-related activities. His community development background includes work with the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota where he was a research fellow and associate college program leader. Cunningham is also a former administrator and CEO for Scott County, Minnesota and acting operations administrator/executive director of human resources for the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Cunningham holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Metropolitan State University. He resides in Minneapolis.

The Northwest Area Foundation is dedicated to helping communities reduce poverty for the long term. The Foundation works on strategic efforts with a small number of rural, urban, and American Indian reservation communities, and the organizations supporting these efforts, in its eight-state region: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. These states were served by the Great Northern Railway, founded by James J. Hill. In 1934, Hill’s son, Louis W. Hill established the foundation.

Since 1999, the Foundation has invested approximately $193 million in community-based poverty-reduction programs. It expects to invest an estimated additional $75 million within the next two years, at which time it will have completed its first 10 years of operation under a community-based program model. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. For additional information, visit www.nwaf.org, or call 651-224-9635.

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