ABOUT THE SUNDERLAND FOUNDATION

OUR MISSION

The Sunderland Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve, with attention to those populations with the greatest need.

VALUES STATEMENT

The Sunderland Foundation is a family foundation rooted in Kansas City with a history of supporting capital building projects. The Foundation now also explores giving opportunities aligned to its mission and values, including:

• Committing to building just and equitable communities

• Trusting organizations, communities and leaders to be the experts

• Exploring root causes and the systems that create inequitable outcomes

FOUNDATION HISTORY

The Sunderland Foundation was established in 1945 by Lester T. Sunderland, who served as President of the Ash Grove Cement Company for 33 years as a highly respected leader in the cement industry.

Prior to joining Ash Grove in 1909, Lester was a principal and founder of the Sunderland Brothers Company, a leading distributor of coal, lime,  cement and other building materials headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was an early and long standing customer of the Ash Grove Lime and Portland Cement Company.

Assets of the Sunderland Foundation have been contributed by Lester T Sunderland and his two sons, Paul Sunderland and Allen B. Sunderland. These assets were comprised primarily of shareholdings of the Ash Grove Cement Company. Ash Grove was led by four generations of the Sunderland family from 1909 to 2018. The dedicated and talented employees of Ash Grove built the company over several generations into the fifth largest manufacturer of portland cement in the United States at the time Ash Grove was acquired by CRH plc of Dublin, Ireland in 2018.

For more information on the Ash Grove Cement Company visit www.ashgrove.com/heritage

After more than seven decades, the Foundation continues to be led by Lester T.'s descendants. It has focused on supporting brick and mortar projects, awarding grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other areas where the Ash Grove Cement Company has traditionally operated.

CURRENT FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP

BOARD OF TRUSTEES