The long serving chief executive of one of Geelong’s biggest philanthropic organisations will step down at the end of the year.
Bill Mithen announced on Friday (September 6) he will step down from the top job at Give Where You Live Foundation after 13 years in the role.
Mr Mithen said leading the organisation for 13 years was “an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience”.
“I have been honoured to lead the Give Where You Live Foundation, however, after 13 years as CEO, I believe the time is right for new leadership to take the foundation forward into its next chapter,” he said.
“For 13 years I have been a part of an incredible team at the Give Where You Live Foundation. Their dedication to fairness, passion for the community and commitment to doing more has been extraordinary.”
Mr Mithen said he was particularly proud of the way the foundation had moved beyond facilitating grants to implementing its own initiatives and programs such as GROW, Community Choice and Feed Geelong.
“A major highlight for me personally was the Foundation’s bold decision to change its rules of incorporation to commit 1% of total revenue each year to our region’s Traditional Owners, The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, demonstrating an enduring commitment to reconciliation and support for First Nations communities,” he said.
Give Where You Live Foundation board chair Daleene Kroger highlighted Mr Mithen’s significant contribution to the foundation and the wider Geelong community.
“Under Bill’s leadership, the Foundation has achieved remarkable success, driven by his passion and commitment to promoting fairness and equity in the G21 region,” Ms Kroger said.
“He has played a key role in launching some of the foundation’s most impactful initiatives, and during his time as CEO, the foundation has generated over $50 million in revenue to support the Geelong community,” said Ms Kroger.
“Bill has also been instrumental in developing the foundation’s 2030 strategy, which has transformed how the organisation creates impact.
“This transformation has seen the foundation evolve and expand its efforts beyond traditional grant funding, embracing a wide range of change initiatives, actions and support to help create community change.”
