A Message from President Bonnie Burnham
The year 2015, World Monuments Fund's 50th anniversary, is also a milestone for me personally as I mark 30 years at the helm of WMF. In discussion with the Board of Trustees I have concluded that this is the ideal time for a new leader to take my place, and I have decided to retire from my position as President of WMF before the end of the year.
WMF has recently completed strategic planning to set its goals for the next several years. There are major projects underway that will come to fruition during this time and a major new educational initiative, World Monuments Institute, in development. The anniversary, celebrated over the next several years, will be a time for WMF to build strength and visibility for its mission and to develop its core resources. The vigorous leadership of an individual who is committed to carry the organization through the important years ahead will be critical. What better time to take up this challenge than the moment when the organization celebrates its greatest accomplishments?
It has been a great honor to serve WMF for these three decades, working closely with many of our donors, as I will continue to do until my successor takes full charge. It has been a wonderful experience to see the organization grow, mature, and take on ever more ambitious challenges. Witnessing the completion of each project is inspiring and hugely gratifying. Our work is so meaningful to people around the world, in communities everywhere, that it is sometimes hard to express the magnitude of our accomplishment. It is made possible, in every case, through alliances with partners, scholars, talented experts and practitioners, our staff and board leadership, and those who support the organization. This true collaboration is what makes WMF's work unique.
Over the coming months, the Trustees will conduct a search with the hope that the new leader of WMF will join our ranks during the course of our anniversary celebrations later this year. In the meantime, I continue in my full capacity as President, working especially on several new programs that have been developed in recent months. Beyond my tenure as President, I will remain on the WMF team to ensure a seamless transition and to steward some of the activities that I have helped to develop until they are well established.
WMF's family is made up of extraordinary people and it is a joy to work with so many outstanding individuals----board members who have mentored me personally, staff members who have brought their talents to the organization, and an array of generous people worldwide who share our passion for preserving humanity's greatest works, no matter what the odds. Dedication is the wellspring that will nurture WMF as it continues, in the years ahead, to face the growing challenges of our field.
Many people have told me that I have the best job in the world, and this is the moment to acknowledge how deeply satisfying this work is. The experience of leading WMF enriches my life every day; all that I have learned here will continue to be my greatest personal resource. I have shared moments of great happiness, excitement, and mirth in this work with so many of you. It is with deepest thanks to all who have supported me in this role that I prepare to convey this opportunity to WMF's next leader.