Souza to retire as leader of Bartholomew County’s Heritage Fund

The head of Heritage Fund: The Bartholomew County Community Foundation is retiring.

Tracy Souza is announcing that she is stepping down effective in July. She has led the community foundation since 2011, taking over after Sherry Stark retired. She is only the fourth president and CEO of the organization, since it began in the 1970s.

Souza retired from Cummins after 32 years, serving most recently as president of the Cummins Foundation. She has served on various boards at the local, state and national levels.

Heritage Fund says that under Souza’s leadership the foundation’s charitable assets have grown from $50 million to $111 million and the foundation has awarded nearly $9 million in grants and scholarships.

The most recent Heritage Fund initiative to launch under Souza’s leadership, is Project Encore, meant to finish renovations and upgrades to the Crump Theatre, turning it into a state-of-the art performing arts center.

Heritage Fund’s Board of Directors has created an unrestricted grant fund to support her key areas of interest. Tracy’s Fund to Celebrate Diversity and the Performing Arts is being created through the Lilly Endowment’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow program.