Honorees, Founders & History
(image left to right: Gary DeLong, Beverly O'Neill, and Marcelle Epley)
2018 Honoree
Beverly O'Neill
(image left to right: Gary DeLong, Jean Bixby Smith, Jane Netherton, and Marcelle Epley)
2017 Honoree
Jean Bixby Smith
(image left to right: Marcelle Epley, Skip Keesal, Beth Keesal, and Jane Netherton)
2016 Honoree
Samuel "Skip" Keesal
State of the Foundation Honorees
Each year, beginning in 2016, the Long Beach Community Foundation acknowledges an LBCF partner for his/her years of support in initiating positive change for Long Beach through charitable giving, stewardship, and strategic grantmaking.
Past honorees include:
- 2023 Jane Netherton
- 2022 – Rich Archbold
- 2021 – Jim Worsham (View virtual event)
- 2020 – John Shadden and Tom Shadden (View virtual event)
- 2019 – Josephine Molina and John Molina
- 2018 – Beverly O’Neill
- 2017 – Jean Bixby Smith
- 2016 – Samuel “Skip” Keesal
Visionary Founders
When Long Beach Community Foundation obtained its independent 501(c)(3) status in April 2006, it was necessary to raise the required funds to support operating costs until its assets grew to the appropriate level needed to be self-supporting. Contributors to the Founders Fund recognized the importance of establishing a community foundation exclusively to serve the people of Long Beach. Collectively they contributed $1.2 million in cash and commitments to support operations for about five years, allowing the Foundation’s focus to be on the development of assets rather than fundraising for operations.
Founders
Founders
Anonymous*
The Ackerman Family
John Apostle & Helen Apostle Foundation
George and Alice Atkinson Foundation
William and Virginal Barnes
Bixby Land Company
California Community Foundation
Charter Communications*
Gary and Dawna DeLong
George and Gloria Deukmejian
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Bob and Nancy Foster
Gazette Newspapers*
Frances S. Grover
John W. Hancock Family Foundation
International City Bank
Sara Wenkle Kaplan
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Keesal, Young & Logan*
Kevin and Ana Maria McGuan
Henry J. and Jane Meyer
Miller Foundation
Daniel and Pamela Munzer
Frank and Margie Newell
Blake and Vicki Christian
Press-Telegram*
Will J. Reid Foundation
Daniel and Frani Ridder
Peter and Cathy Ridder
Shadden Family Foundation
Jean Bixby Smith
James Sullos Family
Don and Marlene Temple
Mick Ukleja
Mike and Arline Walter
Windes, Inc.
James and Patricia Worsham
*including in-kind contributions
Founding Associates
Larry and Patricia Allison
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Estate Planning & Trust Council of Long Beach
Steve and Nini Horn
Bob and Loretta Luskin
Michael J. Osborne
Sound Energy Solutions
Henry Taboada
THUMS Long Beach Company
W. Henry Walker
LBCF History
The first community foundation was founded in Cleveland in 1914 and today there are over 800 community foundations across the United States. The Long Beach Community Foundation was originally founded in 1996 as the Greater Long Beach Foundation in collaboration with the Estate Planning & Trust Council of Long Beach, local community leaders, and the California Community Foundation. Activities were overseen by the all-volunteer Advisory Board until 2003 when an Executive Director was hired and a small office was opened to bring services closer to the community.
Early in 2006, the Board took another bold step by obtaining nonprofit 501(c)(3) status and incorporating as an independent public charitable organization to focus on the Long Beach community. Having previously operated as an affiliate of the California Community Foundation, Long Beach Community Foundation officially began independent operations in July 2007. To ensure a successful transition, local stakeholders were invited to become Founders of this new entity.
After six years of operating independently, the LBCF Board engaged Greater Horizons as our back-office partner in July 2012. Through this new affiliation LBCF benefits from the independent investment advisory services of Prairie Capital Management. Among many benefits, Greater Horizons provides increased opportunities for fund holders to be more actively engaged in how funds are invested.
View a video segment about the Long Beach Community Foundation:
To learn about community foundations and the role they play in communities, click here.