Application open for ALA Endowment Trustee position

CHICAGO - Applications are now being accepted for two (2) ALA Endowment Trustee positions, who will serve a three-year term. All applicants will be required to submit an electronic application, as well as upload a CV and three references. Click to preview the application here.

Applications will be reviewed by the current ALA Endowment Trustees, who will make recommendations to the ALA Executive Board, which will make final selections at the 2025 ALA Annual Conference Meeting in Philadelphia. The selected applicants will begin serving immediately upon notification of their selection. The three-year term will expire after the 2028 ALA Annual Conference.

The deadline for submission of applications is Friday, April 18, 2025.

The ALA Endowment Trustees have the authority to hold, invest and disburse endowment and other long-term investment funds as directed by the ALA Executive Board. Applicants must be or become members of the ALA. They must have a working knowledge of investment opportunities available to the endowment and other long-term investment funds, and of the benchmarks used to judge fund performance. The candidates must also have experience in the management or oversight of investment funds in a business setting and must be able to contribute to the preparation of semi-annual reports on the performance of the fund to the ALA Executive Board, Council, and the general membership. Additionally, candidates must be able to participate in any scheduled virtual meetings and attend two in-person meetings per year in Chicago.

In reviewing the requirements and skills necessary to manage the ALA Endowment Fund, the ALA Executive Board and the Endowment Trustees have established the following general guidelines for becoming a Trustee:

Investment Skills:

Trustees must have a working knowledge of the financial markets. This working knowledge should include the fundamentals of investment practice, as well as familiarity with market indices. Experience in investing as a trustee or custodian is beneficial. Awareness of economic principles is desirable. Applicants will be expected to maintain an ongoing knowledge of current economic conditions and issues.

Association Involvement:

It is desired that the Trustees exhibit a basic knowledge of ALA’s mission and goals and an awareness of the services and activities of the Association. Knowledge of the awards and scholarship programs is also beneficial, as is work in other areas of the Association.

Judgment and Analytical Skills:

Essential to the effective operation of the Endowment is the Trustee’s ability to exercise judgment and to make decisions that reflect prudence, insight, and care. Teamwork among the Trustees is essential for this shared charge to be effectively dispatched. The ability to study a situation and develop well-reasoned strategies is a critical requirement. While the Trustees exercise independent judgment and discretion regarding the Endowment’s investments, they must also be effective communicators and able to take necessary and appropriate direction from the Executive Board.

All applicants will be required to submit an electronic application, as well as upload a CV and three references. You can preview the application here. The deadline for submission of applications is Friday, April 18, 2025.

For this and other information on the qualifications and responsibilities of an ALA Endowment Trustee, contact Holly Robison, Program Officer, ALA Governance at hrobison@ala.org.

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