By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation—
MUNCIE, IN— As Ball Brothers Foundation enters its 99th year of grantmaking, it is proud to announce the appointment of Chris Fisher, a fourth-generation Ball family member, to the foundation’s board of directors. With a deep-rooted family legacy and passion for education, recreation, and community development, Chris will play a key role in carrying on the foundation’s longstanding commitment to philanthropy in Muncie and East Central Indiana.
Chris is the great-grandson of Edmund Burke Ball whose estate gift in 1926 was used to establish Ball Brothers Foundation. Chris spent the early years of his life in Northern Michigan where he still resides today. A graduate of Bates College in Maine, Chris spent time as an English teacher on the East Coast and as a professional cyclist and snow skier. An avid outdoorsman, Chris currently serves as a ski instructor and as the Snow Sports Director at Crystal Mountain in Michigan. In the off-season, Chris works at Coldspring Farm, an equestrian boarding facility owned and managed by his wife, Haylee. Chris and Haylee are both competitive barrel racers.
For the past nine years, Chris has participated in Ball Brothers Foundation’s Associate Director program. Ball family members who participate in the program are part of an intensive orientation process that spans a two-year period preparing them to serve as valuable members of various board committees. Over the years, Chris has served on BBF’s Grants and Finance Committees.
“I am very excited and honored that BBF has offered me a full board member position,” stated Chris. “Having the opportunity to be an integral part of such a beneficial and influential family foundation and work alongside family members and others who are passionate about helping make Muncie, Delaware County, East Central Indiana, and the state of Indiana the best places they can be for their community members, is a dream come true. I cannot wait to get started and help continue to build upon the legacy my great grandfather, Edmund Ball, started nearly 100 years ago.”
Ball Brothers Foundation, established in 1926, is one of Indiana’s oldest and largest private family foundations. Since its inception, family board members have played a vital role in guiding the foundation’s mission. Today, the foundation’s governing board includes both Ball family members and dedicated community residents who bring diverse perspectives to advance the foundation’s impact across the region.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to BBF’s board of directors. For nearly a decade, Chris has been actively involved in the foundation’s work, bringing his experiences with sports, recreation, youth programming, and education to our board and staff. Chris’ warm personality and deep interest in the work of our grantees make him an excellent fit for our board as we move into our second century of grantmaking,” commented Jud Fisher, president & CEO of Ball Brothers Foundation.
About Ball Brothers Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation is one of the state’s oldest and largest family foundations. Annually, the foundation awards over $8 million in grants to support place-based initiatives related to arts and culture, education, the environment, health, human services, and public affairs. The Muncie-based private foundation gives priority to projects and programs that improve the quality of life in the foundation’s home city, county, and state.
