The James R. Thorpe Foundation is a family foundation, but it is not just family. Since 1981, it has depended on the service of Jane Stamstad. In those years, she was a crucial part of the effort that built our organization into a respected, effective player in Minnesota's family foundation community.

She has done so both internally and externally.

Jane consistently and conscientiously helped our board to be more effective in both its governance and its grantmaking. She assisted each board member in learning about the overall field of philanthropy as well as the Twin Cities non-profit community. Early on, she emphasized the value of site visits and the genuine sharing and information-gathering that can be derived from them. This, in turn, evolved into board members' increased respect for our non-profit colleagues. She guided us through grants meetings in thorough yet efficient ways, pausing to discuss the 'larger issues' when they arose. Her guidance greatly enhanced our work.

Jane also became the public face of the Foundation, representing us at various meetings and conferences through the years. She offered technical assistance and other forms of advice and encouragement to many grantees. In the late 1990s, she helped organize a number of well-attended JRT educational forums for Thorpe family members and their friends, a program we hope to revive in the coming years.

In serving both our board and the broader non-profit community, Jane truly raised the bar for all of us. She asked probing, but fair questions of both the board and potential grantees; she valued and encouraged preparedness, honesty and personal empowerment. She pushed us all to do our jobs better, and we did.

We thank her and honor her for over twenty-five years of service to this Foundation. She will remain our colleague and good friend. I know that James Ruggles Thorpe would be proud of the Foundation and the record of excellence that Jane did so much to create.

(signed)

Edith D. Thorpe, President