After nearly two decades of dedicated service, Burton D. Morgan Foundation is preparing to celebrate the retirement of our longtime Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Denise Griggs. Denise joined Morgan Foundation in December 2007, bringing with her a wealth of experience in public accounting and a passion for philanthropy that has shaped her remarkable career with us.
In anticipation of her transition, the foundation will soon share a job posting for a financial leadership role. While the title and responsibilities may be adjusted slightly, we anticipate welcoming the new hire by the start of the new year. Denise plans to shift to part-time work in early 2026 and will continue supporting the foundation until her full retirement in March 2027. This extended transition ensures not only smooth onboarding for her successor but also a generous opportunity for colleagues to benefit from her deep institutional knowledge during the handoff.
A Career of Impact
Denise began her career in public accounting with a national firm in Chicago before returning to Ohio, where she became a partner in a local firm. Eventually, she sought a change of pace and accepted a position with one of her clients, Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Here she found deep fulfillment working in philanthropy, where she expanded her expertise, particularly in investment management. Training opportunities such as those through the Commonfund deepened her knowledge and helped her guide the foundation’s sound financial stewardship.
Her career highlights include serving for more than a decade on the board of Philanthropy Ohio, and as Treasurer for the Fund for Our Economic Future of Northeast Ohio from 2019-2024. Denise was honored to receive the Individual Literacy Leadership Award in 2012 from Project Learn for her board service. She also enjoyed serving as a venture coach for collegiate entrepreneurs, finding excitement in watching their ideas come to life.
When Denise began her career with the foundation, she joined six other employees. Today, Morgan Foundation employs 11 full-time staff members. During her tenure, Morgan Foundation has made nearly 3,000 grants totaling just under $105 million, and the foundation’s endowment has grown from just under $154 million to approximately $212 million under Denise’s steady guidance.
Along the way, Denise built wonderful memories - from lunch with Tim Gunn at the Western Reserve Academy’s speaker series, to many glasses of lemonade at Lemonade Day stands, to learning from industry icons such as the late Stan Gault. Above all, she treasures the relationships she’s formed throughout the years with colleagues and friends across the philanthropic and entrepreneurial communities.
Looking Ahead
Retirement will bring Denise the chance to enjoy fewer emails and new freedoms, including more time with her husband, Del, and their grandbaby, opportunities to travel, try new hobbies, volunteer, and reset her fitness goals. She has already begun planning a trip to Europe next summer.
Denise is grateful to Deborah Hoover, the foundation’s former CEO, for first opening the door to her work here, and to Daniel Hampu, our current CEO, for his leadership and exciting vision for the future. While she will miss the people most of all, Denise assures us she will stay connected even as she steps into this new chapter.
We will deeply miss Denise’s steady leadership, wisdom, and good humor. We are profoundly grateful for her service and friendship, and we look forward to celebrating her in the months ahead as she eases into a well-deserved retirement.