Ardyth Neill, president of Heifer Foundation
The Heifer Foundation Board of Trustees has appointed Ardyth Neill as the president of the nonprofit organization dedicated to helping end hunger and poverty through planned charitable giving.
“The board of trustees and the staff of Heifer Foundation are pleased to announce that Neill will permanently take over the position of president after serving the dual role of chief financial officer (CFO) and interim president/chief executive officer twice during her tenure at the Foundation,” said Marcia Williams, chair of Heifer Foundation board of trustees. “Having worked with Ardyth for years, I am thrilled that she has been named to and accepted this most important role at Heifer Foundation. She weaves her professionalism, ethics and dedication to the cause and many skills into service to the Foundation. I look forward to watching the organization thrive under her leadership.”
Neill came to Heifer Foundation in 2001 after serving as director of accounting for more than four years for Heifer International. Since then, she has served as CFO and vice president of asset management for the Foundation.
“I have had the privilege of working with Heifer Foundation, Heifer International and our donors for the last 15 years,” Neill said. “My goal is to strengthen our collaborative efforts, creating a solid foundation of support for families helping themselves out of the cycle of poverty. In doing so, we carry on the example given us by Heifer International founder, Dan West, while providing a model for future generations to build upon as we maintain a deep commitment to helping the poor, hungry and those in the margin of the world.”
Heifer Foundation was established in 1991 to oversee and grow the endowment to provide support for the work of Heifer International. Heifer Foundation and Heifer International are separate non-profit charitable organizations that work together to provide a comprehensive sustainable strategy supporting a common mission of ending hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.
“I am delighted to hear that the Heifer Foundation board of trustees has appointed Ardyth Neill as President of Heifer Foundation,” said President and CEO of Heifer International, Pierre Ferrari. “She is a dedicated professional who will manage Heifer Foundation with diligence and care for the mission of Heifer International and its loyal donors. Ardyth and I have known each other for over 18 months and have found that we work very collaboratively and effectively together. I congratulate her and am thrilled to continue to build upon the successful relationship between Heifer International and Heifer Foundation.”
Neill started her non-profit work as a comptroller with the Greater Ozarks Chapter, Blood and Tissue Region of the American Red Cross. Her professional career began as an accountant for Dillon’s Springfield Division. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration with minors in accounting and economics from Drury University.
Ardyth is currently a member of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), Society for Human Resource Management, Partnership of Philanthropic Planning (formerly NCPG), Central Arkansas Human Resources Association, the Rachel Donaldson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and The Order of Daughters of the King. She is an active member of St. Michaels Episcopal Church where she serves as treasurer and a member of the Outreach, Finance and Audit Committees.
Neill is married to Jerry Neill and lives in Maumelle, AR.
About Heifer Foundation:
Heifer Foundation envisions a sustainable world where hunger and poverty no longer exist. Its mission is to partner with people in the global movement to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. To that end, Heifer Foundation offers donors a variety of planned charitable giving options, while developing and managing an endowment to provide long-term support for Heifer International. Heifer Foundation offers a variety of planned giving instruments that provide individuals from all walks of life the ability to help themselves, their loved ones, and a world in great need. For more information, visit www.heiferfoundation.org.
About Heifer International:
Since 1944, Heifer International has helped more than 12 million hungry families in over 125 countries move toward self-reliance through the gift of livestock as well as a wide variety of education initiatives, including agricultural techniques and leadership skills. For more information, visit www.heifer.org.
