The Delaware Community Foundation board of directors has elected Thomas L. Sager, former general counsel for the DuPont Company, as the new chair.
“The DCF plays a key role in strengthening quality of life in Delaware’s communities and building charitable resources to address current and future needs,” Sager said. “I am honored to lead the board as we serve our fundholders and all Delawareans.”
While at DuPont, Sager spearheaded the effort to apply greater business discipline to the practice of law. He has extensive experience in complex litigation, civil and criminal investigations, environmental matters and cross border mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He has advocated for diversity in the legal profession and helped create the DuPont Convergence and Law Firm Partnering Program. The Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s Thomas L. Sager Award is awarded annually to law firms that show a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Sager succeeds Marilyn Rushworth Hayward, who will continue to serve on the board’s executive committee as immediate past chair.
Other officers elected to the executive committee are Kelly E. Firment (vice chair), small business credit card product and strategy executive at Bank of America; David W. Singleton (treasurer), retired public sector executive; William C. Dugdale (secretary), partner at Brown Advisory; Lynn A. Kokjohn (Sussex County Advisory Committee chair), retired DuPont manager; John W. Paradee (Kent County Advisory Committee chair), partner at Baird Mandalas Brockstedt LLC; John C. Hawkins (at large), CEO of ab+c Creative Intelligence; and Thomas J. Shopa (at large), retired partner at BDO USA LLP.
Re-elected board members are Doneene K. Damon; Jennings Hastings; Nancy Karibjanian; Robert N. MacGovern; James Mazarakis; Donald W. Nicholson, Jr.; and Gary Stockbridge.
New to the board of directors this year is Kay Keenan, chair of the Fund for Women and president of Growth Consulting,
“One of the DCF’s greatest assets is its strong board and dedicated volunteers,” DCF President and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay said. “As we build on the past 30 years of work and evolve to increase our community impact, we will benefit tremendously from their leadership.”