Senate Resolution No. 2526

BY: Senator KENNEDY

CONGRATULATING Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker upon
the occasion of her retirement after 17 years of
distinguished service to the Community Foundation
for Greater Buffalo

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body seeks to acknowledge those
individuals whose professional lives and civic endeavors serve to
enhance the stature of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate
Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker upon the occasion of her retirement after
17 years of distinguished service to the Community Foundation for
Greater Buffalo; and

WHEREAS, A naturalized United States citizen and a native of Cuba,
Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from
Canisius College and Master of Arts degree in education from the State
University of New York at Buffalo; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker began her long and
distuginshed career as both President and Chief Executive Officer for
the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo; and

WHEREAS, In this capacity, this innovative and visionary leader has
created positive long-term change in her community and beyond; for more
than 100 years, the Community Foundation has worked with individuals,
families, foundations and organizations, such as Say Yes Buffalo,
Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable and the WNY Impact Investment
Fund, to steward their charitable assets; and

WHEREAS, Today, under the luminous leadership of Clotilde Perez-Bode
Dedecker, the Community Foundation has grown to more than $850 million
and its clients recognize it as a powerful, trusted vehicle to make the
most of their generosity; and

WHEREAS, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker is the immediate past chair of
the Foundation Center, which recently merged with Guidestar to form
Candid, the premier source for global social sector information; she is
also a member of the Boards of Directors of FSG, Executives' Alliance to
Expand Opportunities for Boys and Young Men of Color, and the Global
Fund for Community Foundations; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of her civic sector expertise, Clotilde
Perez-Bode Dedecker was appointed to the White House Council on Service
and Civic Participation and named co-chair of the United States
Committee of the United Nations International Year of the Volunteer; and

WHEREAS, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker speaks frequently about the
role of philanthropy, community impact and nonprofit governance around
the world; she presented at the United States Partnership on Mobility
from Poverty Summit supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in
Washington, D.C. and the Asia Forum on Philanthropy for Better Cities in
Hong Kong; and


WHEREAS, For her steadfast and unremitting commitment to her
profession and the global social sector, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker
has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including the
Governor's Award for Service, the President's Award for Service and The
Buffalo News Citizen of the Year Award; and

WHEREAS, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker was honored by the Points of
Light Foundation and named the 2018 Buffalo Niagara Executive of the
Year by the University at Buffalo School of Management; she also
received the Dean's Service Award from the State University of New York
at Buffalo Graduate School of Education and the Canisius College
Distinguished Citizen Award; and

WHEREAS, For the past 17 years, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker
rendered faithful, conscientious and valuable service to the Community
Foundation for Greater Buffalo; as President and Chief Executive
Officer, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker served with loyalty, honor and
distinction; and

WHEREAS, In her official acts, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker was
governed by a keen sense of duty and always showed a unique grasp of
human problems; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure with the Community Foundation for Greater
Buffalo, Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker earned the admiration, esteem and
affection of her colleagues; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker upon the occasion of her
retirement after 17 years of distinguished service to the Community
Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and to wish her well in all her future
endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker.