Contact: 817-738-6536
Suzanne Calvin, Assoc. Dir. of P.R.,
suzanne@cliburn.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fort Worth, Texas, January 14, 2002 – Van Cliburn Foundation has announced today the appointment
of Jane Chu, 44, as its vice president and director of development.
Ms. Chu, whose appointment is effective February 4, will be responsible for coordinating the
growth of the financial base for the Cliburn and its various programs. Additionally, she will
be responsible for the strengthening of relationships of the Cliburn with its donors and the
community at large.
“Jane brings years of significant experience in grant making and donor relationships,” said
Richard Rodzinski, president of the Van Cliburn Foundation. “She comes from the other end
of the spectrum: for many years her duties involved connecting donors with people and
organizations seeking funds. She is passionate about our mission and will be a great
asset for our organization.”
“Jane’s professionalism, creativity, and communication skills make her the perfect choice for
this position,” says Alann Sampson, the chairman of the board of the Van Cliburn Foundation.
Besides being a top-notch professional in the grant-making field, she is a pianist, educator,
and a visual artist. I can only anticipate a bright future with Jane.”
“The Van Cliburn Foundation is globally emblematic of excellence in musical artistry,” said
Jane. “I am privileged and deeply honored to serve the foundation as an ambassador for the
universal language of music.”
Ms. Chu comes from the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri,
where she served as Vice President of Community Investment, helping donors with a wide
variety of strategic giving. The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation manages 1500 funds
started by individuals, families, corporations and community organizations, with a total asset
size of nearly $700 million. In 2000, the community foundation received $119 million in
contributions and distributed $90 million in grants. In 1999, this community foundation
ranked third in grants made, and fifth in contributions received among 582 community foundations
nationwide.
Ms. Chu’s educational training includes a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from Southern
Methodist University in Dallas, Texas; with undergraduate degrees in piano performance and
public school music education from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas;
and commercial art from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.
About the Van Cliburn Foundation
Under the auspices of the Van Cliburn Foundation, every four years, Fort Worth becomes the
piano capital of the world with the production of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Founded in 1962 by a group of music teachers and enthusiasts to honor a fellow Texan and America’s most renowned pianist, the Cliburn Competition has steadily grown into one of the world’s major musical events around the globe.
In 1999, the foundation launched the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs,
a biennial event that attracts some of the greatest piano amateurs from around the globe.
The foundation also sponsors Cliburn Concerts, a piano recital and chamber music series that
features today’s finest instrumentalists and vocalists. Cliburn Concerts performances are held
in Fort Worth’s 2000-seat Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall.
The foundation remains in the forefront of educational projects, with programs such as Musical
Awakenings, and Adopt-a-Competitor.
For more information on the Van Cliburn Foundation, call 817-738-6536 or visit www.cliburn.org.
Exxon Mobil Corporation is the Principal Corporate Sponsor of the Van Cliburn Foundation and
the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
American Airlines, Citigroup, City of Fort Worth, Lexus, Nokia, RadioShack, Star-Telegram,
and Steinway & Sons are Official Corporate Sponsors of the Van Cliburn Foundation.
