About GCF

Kathryn E. Merchant is President/CEO of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 1997, Ms. Merchant was the director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Neighborhood Preservation Initiative and a partner in the New Haven-based consulting firm Holt, Wexler & Merchant. She has also served as the director of planning for the United Way of Greater New Haven and as planner/grants manager for the South Central Connecticut Area Agency on Aging.

Ms. Merchant has served in leadership positions on a number of nonprofit boards of directors, including the Ohio Grantmakers Forum, SC Ministry Foundation, United Way of Greater New Haven and United Way of Connecticut. She is a member of the Cincinnatus Association and graduate of Leadership Cincinnati Class XXI. Current board service includes the Center for Effective Philanthropy, the National Center for Arts and Technology, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, and the Metropolitan Club (chairman 2004). Ms. Merchant served on the board of the Council on Foundations 2001-07, holding numerous leadership positions including vice chairman 2006-07, and the Community Foundations of America Board (Giving Net) 2000-2008, serving as chairman 2003-06.

In 2005, Ms. Merchant received a Career Women of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, and in 2006 received the Ohio Philanthropy Award from the Ohio Grantmakers Forum. She is one of the “Top 50 Power & Influence” leaders in 2008 selected by The NonProfit Times. She was honored with The First Tee of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky core value award for Responsibility in 2011. Ms. Merchant received the Council on Foundations’ Distinguished Grantmaker Award in 2011.

Ms. Merchant has a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.

Ms. Benson develops and oversees communications and marketing strategies to create broad public awareness of the Foundation and to further its strategic goals. She has 22 years of communications experience with nonprofit and public service organizations. Ms. Benson is a graduate of Leadership Cincinnati (Class XXXII) and a graduate of the YWCA Rising Star Board Leadership Program (Class I). She was a member of the inaugural class of the Fine Arts Fund's Business Volunteers for the Arts and Class III of United Way of Greater Cincinnati's Volunteer Leadership Development Program. Ms. Benson has earned the designation Accredited in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America. She currently serves on the board of Know Theatre of Cincinnati, and the Associate Member Allocation Committee of ArtsWave.

Ms. Turner is responsible for all facets of the Foundation’s charitable investment in its eight-county service area, including community leadership initiatives and grantmaking partnerships. She has experience developing policies and programs that effectively evaluate and address community needs, promote responsible philanthropy and facilitate positive community change. Turner spent two years at The Erie Community Foundation as a vice president and ten years as the Director of Health Data Improvement at the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. Ms. Turner has been honored with numerous awards including the “Top Ten Women in Nonprofits” by Women’s Business Cincinnati in 2007, the Ohio Program Evaluator’s Group Outstanding Evaluator of the Year in 2006 and the Wilmer Shields Rich Award from the Council on Foundations. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Xavier University and her MPA from the University of Cincinnati.

Mr. McReynolds oversees GCF’s administrative operations and provides assurance that the Foundation operates effectively and with proper internal controls. He is responsible for financial and investment activities, technology systems development, office administration, human resources, and facility management. Previously, Mr. McReynolds spent twelve years at Arthur Anderson LLP, where he redesigned and transformed finance organizations to better serve stakeholders at lower cost. He also held management positions with global organizations including Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. and Coopers & Lybrand.