About Us

ETCF Staff

Kyle Penney

Kyle Penney

President

LISA JUSTICE

LISA JUSTICE

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

LINDSAY SNEED

LINDSAY SNEED

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

HOLLY MCFARLIN

HOLLY MCFARLIN

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

DANA DURMAN

DANA DURMAN

PROGRAM OFFICER

KATHRYN MARTINEZ

KATHRYN MARTINEZ

PROGRAM OFFICER

OUR HISTORY

East Texas Communities Foundation was founded in 1989 by visionary leaders who saw the need for a community foundation to serve the people and communities of East Texas. The strong leadership of early organizers like Isadore Roosth, Norman Shtofman, “Dub” Riter, and an investment of the United Way of Tyler/Smith County launched the Foundation. By 1994, the Foundation’s assets had grown to more than one million dollars.

In 1997 the Foundation’s Board of Directors made a bold commitment to its future growth and vitality: each director made a personal three year financial commitment to allow the Foundation to hire a full-time executive director.

With permanent staff and with the continued vision, energy and leadership of a strong Board of Directors, ETCF has experienced strong annual growth in the last decade. The number of charitable funds, the collective assets in those funds and the grant dollars distributed from those funds have all established positive long-term growth trends. ETCF’s success comes from sound financial management, strong leadership, the flexibility of our donor services and, most of all, the generosity and wisdom of the people of East Texas.

We are a giving people-and supporting the charitable needs of our communities, our region and our world is important to our daily lives.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

BARBARA BASS
Board Chair
Benefits / Fundraising Auctioneer

ANTHONY BROOKS
Vice Chair, Governance Chair
CEO Azalea Orthopedic and Sports Medicine

 

RICHARD PERRYMAN
Investment Chair
Retired Investment Advisor

JOHN JONES
Treasurer
CEO Jones Legacy Ventures

KRIS GUSA
Grants Chair
CPA / Partner, Gollob Morgan Peddy

 

MARK HAGAN
Marketing Chair
Senior VP Wealth Management, CFP/ CAP KNH Wealth Management UBS Financial Services

DIRK COLEMAN
Audit Chair
Retired CPA

MARK WHATLEY
Policy Chair
President & CEO Burns Commercial Properties

SHANNON GLENNEY
Immediate Past Board Chair
Community Volunteer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CRAIG ADAMS
ATTORNEY
ADAMS & COKER, P.C.

RICK ALLEN
CPA / SHAREHOLDER
HENRY & PETERS, P.C.

ROBERT BAILES
CPA / FOUNDER
BAILES & COMAPNY, P.C.

B. GARNETT BROOKSHIRE
PRESIDENT
PEOPLE’S PETROLEUM

SHANNON DACUS
ATTORNEY
THE DACUS FIRM, P.C.

TOBY FAILS
SVP, WEALTH MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR VERABANK

JAY FERGUSON, Ph.D.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
GRACE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

LEE GEARHEART
PARTNER
GEARHEART + GEARHEART, PLLC

GREGORY T. KIMMEL
ATTORNEY, PARTNER
ALLEN, LOTTMAN, KIMMEL P.C.

DAVID MCWORTER
PRESIDENT OF GANS & SMITH INSURANCE AGENCY

AMY MILLER
ATTORNEY, PARTNER,
BOON CALK ECHOLS COLEMAN & GOOLSBY P.L.L.C.

JEFF MOORE
CPA, SHAREHOLDER
HENRY & PETERS, P.C.

BILL NEWBURN
CFP, MARKET PRESIDENT EAST TEXAS
SOUTHSIDE WEALTH MANAGEMENT

ROGERS POPE, JR.
VICE CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, TEXAS BANK & TRUST

JOSH ROBERTS
CPA, CFP, OWNER / FINANCIAL ADVISOR, ROSEMAN WEALTH ADVISORS

STEVE SPITZER
ATTORNEY, MANAGING SHAREHOLDER
RAMEY & FLOCK, P.C.

PATRICK STACEY
VICE PRESIDENT / GENERAL MANAGER KLTV TV

LONNY UZZELL
SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
SOUTHSIDE BANK

MARK WHATLEY
PRESIDENT & CEO
BURNS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

KIM WRIGHT
GIFT OFFICER
BUCKNER INTERNATIONAL

ADVISORY BOARD

W. FRED SMITH, JR.
PRESIDENT
THE GATHERING

DOUG BOLLES
PARTNER, WORTHPOINTE WEALTH MANAGEMENT

GORDON NORTHCUTT
VP/ TRUST OFFICER,
VERABANK

EMERITUS BOARD

ALLEN BURT
ALLEN M. BURT FINANCIAL SERVICES

H.T. SMITH
MANAGING PARTNER
RUTLEDGE CAPITAL

NORMAN SHTOFMAN*
THE SHTOFMAN COMPANY

A.W. “DUB” RITER, JR.*
RITER MANAGEMENT CO., L.C.

F. WILLIAM MARTIN
RETIRED CIVIC LEADER

*DECEASED

GREGG COUNTY ADVISORY COMMITEE

MARK BOON
BOON , CALK, ECHOLS, COLEMAN & GOOLSBY, P.L.L.C.

LINDA BROOKS
WEALTH & TRUST OFFICER
TEXAS BANK & TRUST

DIRK COLEMAN
RETIRED CPA

KRISTEN ISHIHARA
ISHIHARA & PARKER LAW FIRM, P.L.L.C.

JEFF MOORE
HENRY & PETERS

HEATHER SANDERS
HENRY & PETERS

DAY SHELMIRE
UT TYLER SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

MIKE STARR
COGHLAN & CROWSON, LLP

LINDA THOMAS
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER

GORDON NORTHCUTT
VP & TRUST OFFICER AT VERA BANK

DALE LUNSFORD
LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY

Financial Documents, Assets + Resources

Total Assets as of 12/31/24

$137,679,511

2024 Contributions

$12,607,918

2024 Grants

$19,929,053

Net Investment Activity

($18,115,333)

Net Operating Expenses

$1,072,566