Andrew Swinney, President of The Philadelphia Foundation, Announces Retirement

R. Andrew Swinney, president of The Philadelphia Foundation, announced today that he will retire on June 30, 2015. He has led the community foundation since 1998 and has been in the sector for 21 years.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead this venerable institution, which has had — and will continue to have — enduring philanthropic impact throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Swinney, 66, in a press release. “This is the opportune time for me personally and for the organization to have a new leader in place as it approaches its Centennial in 2018.”

Prior to entering the philanthropy sector, Swinney worked for two decades in hospitality, including a stint as the general manager of the Philadelphia Sheraton Hotel.

Swinney is also an outspoken advocate for the philanthropic sector coming together to collaborate more.

“We need to have some form of collective approach — the rising of all boats. The corporate sector is making megabucks, and yet we have high unemployment, high poverty, and high dropout rates. We need the sectors to come together, and the community as a whole, to make a collective impact,” Swinney told Generocity.org in a recent Q&A.

In the next few weeks, the search committee will reveal the process for how it will select the foundation’s next leader.

More stories on The Philadelphia Foundation

Q&A with Andrew Swinney, President of The Philadelphia Foundation

The Philadelphia Foundation and GlaxoSmithKline Partner to Improve Health for Philly Youth

YOUTHadelphia to Host Open House and Release Fall Application for Up to 50k in Grants