TORRINGTON, Conn.—Guy Rovezzi, president and CEO of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, has announced his intention to retire this year.
“These years have been defined by purpose, partnership and deep human connection,” he wrote. “[C]ountless friendships were formed, grounded in goodwill and kindness, and supported by a remarkable coalition of board members and an exceptionally talented staff.”
He said he remains committed to the foundation’s mission and to serving its donors, nonprofit partners and friends, as the board begins the process of selecting his successor.
Rovezzi took over the post in 2003 after James A. Garfield, who was executive director of the Torrington Area Foundation for Public Giving for six years, stepped down.
The Torrington Area Foundation for Public Giving was formed in 1969 with an initial grant from the Torrington Club. In the decades that followed, hundreds of funds were established through donations, gifts and bequests and the first grants–$1,000 in support of FISH of Northwestern Connecticut and $1,200 to the Community Council of Northwest Connecticut—were made in 1972.
By 1997, many of those who had provided the gifts that created the Foundation for Public Giving had passed away, but what they had created—a community foundation providing grants in support of the arts, education, basic human needs, animal care and protection and conservation in Northwest Connecticut—continued.
In 1999, and again in 2005, the community foundation expanded its service within Northwest Connecticut, and it became known as the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation.
Under Rovezzi’s direction, the NCCF has continued to grow and its assets have increased from $7 million to more than $140 million. NCCF has broadened its reach to include all 20 towns of Connecticut’s Northwest Corner and increased its annual grantmaking to more than $5 million.
“Together, we have strengthened an institution whose mission has always been larger than any one of us, and I am deeply grateful for the privilege of having served it,” he said. “Strong, enduring institutions make space for thoughtful transition and fresh perspective. I make this decision with confidence in NCCF’s strength, gratitude for all that we have built together and genuine optimism for the chapter that lies ahead.”
He said that his lifelong residency in the Northwest Corner has created an enduring bond with the region. “This region shaped me, sustained me, and ultimately entrusted me with the extraordinary responsibility of guiding its community foundation,” he said. “That trust has been the great honor of my professional life.”
Rovezzi was born and raised in Torrington and educated at Georgetown University. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut and served as chairman of the board of directors for the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce from 1993 to 1996.
He currently lives in Falls Village.
