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Frank Giammarino
675-1940
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Lori Tragesser
675-1941
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Megan Zanto
675-1943
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Valerie Stapleton
675-1942
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Giammarino Selected

Career Non-Profit Executive Named

June 1, 2005

The Tipton County Foundation has appointed its third executive director since its founding in 1986. Frank M. Giammarino, formerly of Speedway, Indiana, has been named to succeed John C. Walker, who retired after thirteen years.

[On November 28, 2006, the Board changed the title of its volunteer leader to Chairman of the Board and the title of the E.D. to President & CEO.]

In announcing the appointment, Ben B. Hobbs, president of the Foundation, noted that due to the generous support of the people of Tipton County, the Foundation has grown into a substantial community asset which is making a real difference in improving the quality of life for all our people. “Frank’s wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector and his passion for our mission will be invaluable in preserving, enhancing and growing the Foundation for the benefit of current and future generations in the county,” Hobbs stated.

Giammarino moved to Tipton last month to begin his new role with the public charity. Born in New Jersey, Giammarino attended Rutgers College and graduated from what is now Salem International University in West Virginia. He began his professional career with the Boy Scouts of America in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, where he helped to manage membership growth, volunteer development, and fund-raising in inner-city, suburban, and rural areas. He directed residential camps for the Scouts for ten years.

After a stint with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in central Florida, Giammarino came to Indiana in 1979 to direct the Youth for Understanding high school student exchange program. During his twelve year tenure, a higher percentage of Indiana families volunteered to host exchange students than any other state. “Far fewer Hoosier youngsters took advantage of opportunities to live and study abroad,” Giammarino said. “I hope I can help high school students from Tipton County find ways to become exchange students now that I am becoming part of this community.”

In 1991, Giammarino was hired by Kiwanis International to manage membership growth and then field services to clubs worldwide from its headquarters in Indianapolis. Later, he became a regional executive for the American Lung Association of Indiana, when it was formed as a statewide agency instead of four separate entities. He also directed the Indiana Crime Prevention Coalition, supporting law enforcement and promoting the message of McGruff© the Crime Dog.

Recently, Giammarino has been a consultant assisting nonprofit organizations as diverse as one of the nation’s oldest continuously performing choirs, the 150-year old Indianapolis Maennerchor, and a shelter for battered women in rural Martinsville, Virginia. “One of my favorite activities in the past few years has been serving as a guest teacher in junior and senior high schools,” he said.

“The dedication of faculty, the liveliness of students, and concerns of parents confronting the challenges of public education were an eye-opener for me. Except for hosting a couple of exchange students, I have had no children of my own, so this experience, like my early career, has prepared me to focus on my neighbors and their children, as I will do at the Tipton County Foundation.”

Last modified: Monday, January 16, 2012