Morning Fill Up with Jennifer Ford Reedy

PRESIDENT, the bush Foundation

Held December 11, 2014 at 7am at The garage

Jennifer Ford Reedy has been President of the Bush Foundation since September 2012. The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and 23 Native Nations. The Foundation was established in 1953 by Archibald Bush, a 3M executive who played a key role in growing 3M into one of theworld’s leading companies.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Jen served as chief of staff and vice president of strategy for Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, where she led the creation of GiveMN.org, Give to the Max Day, and the Minnesota Idea Open. Jen was also a consultant with McKinsey and Company for nine years and was the first director of the Itasca Project, a CEO-led regional civic initiative in the Twin Cities. 

Her current community service includes: working with Region’s Hospital, Minnesota Compass, the Itasca Project, and the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable;  passing out programs at her 12-year old daughter’s plays; and doing art projects in her 9-year old son’s classroom. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the Honors Program at the University of Kansas, the regional selection panel for Truman Scholars, and the national selection panel for NextGen Fellows. 

Jen has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas—where she was a Truman Scholar and, more importantly, met her husband—and a Master’s degree from the University of Chicago.  She has been honored as a “40 Under 40” leader by the Saint Paul Business Journal, as one of the “200 Minnesotans You Should Know” by Twin Cities Business Magazine, and as a NextGen Fellow by Independent Sector.

News coverage

“Bush Foundation head says grants help improve lives”, Rapid City Journal, December 12, 2014
“Dakota Midday”, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, December 11, 2014
“Morning Fill Up aims to build bridges, dialogue”, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, November 24, 2014