John F. Day image

John F. Day

  • Executive Director, 1980–1990

Mr. Day joined the Endowment’s New York office in 1958 after working for three years at Smith, Barney and Company. Mr. Day served on the Boards of Visitors for Johnson C. Smith University and Davidson College, was a Trustee of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Cities in Schools and a Director of York Community Foundation in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He received the Duke University Award for Merit in 1990.

Major Endowment Milestones: 

  • Helped launch the Center for the Study of Philanthropy and Volunteerism at Duke University
  • Created the Carolinas Program on Medicine and Society to address complex bioethical dilemmas
  • Initial focus on weatherization led to green-building upgrades for rural churches