PITTSBURGH, May 11, 2016 – The Board of Directors of The Buhl Foundation has announced that its Vice President, Diana Bucco, will become President of Pittsburgh’s oldest multipurpose Foundation, effective July 1, 2016. She will succeed Frederick Thieman who has led The Buhl Foundation as its President since 2007. Bucco will be responsible for overall management of the Foundation, from Buhl’s new philanthropic strategy to its day-to-day operation. Since joining the Foundation three years ago, Bucco has led the revisioning of The Buhl Foundation’s approach to philanthropy including its focus on community-driven neighborhood revitalization.
A proven entrepreneur, strategist and capacity builder, Bucco has already made an imprint on the region through her leadership as President of The Forbes Funds, as founding Executive Director of the Coro Center for Civic Leadership, and as founding Executive Director of The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania. She will become The Buhl Foundation’s seventh president in its 89-year history.
The Foundation’s Board also announced that Frederick Thieman, who has successfully guided Buhl’s philanthropic mission as President during the past decade, will assume a new diplomatic role in the community as the ‘Henry Buhl, Jr. Chair for Civic Leadership.’ He will continue his work of bringing people together to address Western Pennsylvania priorities, advance designated regional initiatives, and facilitate the resolution of perplexing community issues. His appointment is also effective on July 1, 2016.
Prior to joining The Buhl Foundation, Thieman had an accomplished 30-year legal career, where he was ranked as one of the top attorneys in Pennsylvania. He served four years as the United States Attorney in Western Pennsylvania, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, and was instrumental in creating a youth crime prevention effort in Allegheny County that garnered national attention.
“The timing is right for these two outstanding individuals, who care deeply about the future of Pittsburgh, to take on new leadership roles so that The Buhl Foundation can, in new ways, contribute to the progress and well-being of our region,” said Buhl Foundation Board Chair Peter F. Mathieson. “We believe that great philanthropy is all about the people who manage it. Diana is an accomplished social entrepreneur, problem solver and advocate for change.
Fred has tremendous social capital and is able to build consensus around complex issues. Together, they represent the next generation of unique leadership for foundations and community-wide initiatives,” added Mathieson.
Commenting on being named President of The Buhl Foundation, Diana Bucco stated, “I am humbled and elated at this tremendous opportunity to build on the legacy and vision of past leaders such as Fred and Dr. Doreen Boyce and our founder Henry Buhl, Jr., and to see that this Foundation is responsive to current day issues where we can make a significant impact and change lives for the better. The Northside community is poised to function as a hub for innovation that can be replicated in many communities; there is a strong foundation for a new community revitalization model that is being driven by the resourcefulness and the spirit of Northside residents.”
“First and foremost, I am ever so grateful to have served as President of The Buhl Foundation during the past decade and to have been able to help the community in ways I never imagined,” said Thieman. “As the priorities of our community continue to change, so does the face of philanthropy and the role it plays in sustaining the growth and development of our neighborhoods. While I am extremely excited to step into a new role, teaming up with Diana Bucco these past three years and now passing the baton to her is truly one of the achievements of which I am most proud. She represents the next generation of philanthropic leadership in Pittsburgh,” added Thieman.
About The Buhl Foundation
Henry Buhl, Jr. built his fortune in the retail industry and created the Buhl Foundation, the first multipurpose foundation in Pittsburgh, as a memorial to his beloved wife, Louise C. Buhl. Mr. Buhl directed the Foundation to be especially concerned with the "well-being of the citizens of the City of Pittsburgh, and the County of Allegheny."
Since its founding in 1927, the Buhl Foundation has helped to fund many non-profit organizations along the way and helped to birth an impressive array of regional efforts, including: Chatham Village, the Buhl Planetarium (now Carnegie Science Center), the Pittsburgh Foundation, the Pittsburgh Symphony, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the School of Social Work at Pitt and the Western Pennsylvania Economy League.
From its roots as a multipurpose foundation in Pittsburgh to a focus on ‘place’ – more specifically Pittsburgh’s Northside – the Buhl Foundation is enhancing its impact on disenfranchised populations by mobilizing catalytic and transformative change in their communities. For more information, visit www.buhlfoundation.org.