Posted on Apr 29, 2017 in
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Ruthanne Mefford.
The trustees of The George Foundation recently elected Ruthanne Mefford of Sugar Land to serve as trustee for a special seven-year term. Mefford replaces outgoing trustee Pat McDonald, who was appointed to the board in 2008 and served a total of nine years, including the role of chairman from 2012 to 2014. “The board of trustees is excited to bring Ruthanne’s leadership and hands-on experience from both the non-profit and private sectors to help continue the Foundation’s mission,” stated John Null, chairman of the board. Mefford is the second woman to serve as trustee following only Mamie George, the visionary and co-founder of the Foundation, in this strategic role.
Mefford is originally from Kansas City, Missouri and was raised in California, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and communications from Stanford University followed by a Master of Business Administration at the Anderson Graduate School of Business at The University of California, Los Angeles. Upon graduation, Mefford worked as the business unit manager for Ocean Spray Cranberries followed by senior marketing roles with the Marriott Corporation, where she led the growth of the company’s food and beverage division.
In 1994, Mefford relocated to Fort Bend to lead the marketing and sales strategies for several early-stage private equity backed companies focused on the human capital and information technology industries. She later founded a marketing consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, branding and consumer research, working with many local and national organizations across a broad spectrum of services and products including health care, energy and home goods. In 2009, Mefford assumed a new challenge as chief executive officer of Child Advocates of Fort Bend, a non-profit agency serving abused and neglected children in Fort Bend County.
Mefford currently serves on the board of directors for OakBend Medical Center and the Center for Houston’s Future and as chair of the Stanford Alumni Association board of directors. She has also served as chair of the board of directors for Greater Houston Healthconnect, honorary chair for Boy Scouts of America’s Friends of Scouting Campaign and fundraising chair for the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. Mefford and her husband, Ivan, have four children and two grandchildren.
