Paul Lessard

About Paul Lessard

Founding President of the High Point Community Foundation which was established in 1998 with a $5 million unrestricted gift. In the past 25 years we have raised over $150 million with assets under management at over $117 million and during this time unrestricted and Donor Advised Fund grants have exceeded $100 million. The mission of the High Point Community Foundation is to meet the unmet needs of the Greater High Point Community and to facilitate philanthropy locally, nationally and internationally. Lessard who is currently the longest serving Community Foundation President in North Carolina recieved the Order of the Long Leaf in 2024 from the Governor to recognize his contributions to High Point and the state of North Carolina. Lessard is a 1994 Recipient of the Carnegie Hero Medal for saving an elderly woman from drowning in a submerged car. Used the award stipend to establish the Lighthouse Project in 1994 which is a nonprofit Character Education Foundation that brings in nationally known role-models who speak in area schools. Past speakers have included; James Bradley,\"Flags of our Fathers\" and \"Fly Boys,\" Coach Boone,\"Remember the Titans,\" Robert Woodson, McArthur Genius Grant recipient, Clifton Talbert, author of the Civil Rights Classic,\"Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored,\" General Chuck Krulack, Commandant, US Marines, Clebe McClary, Patch Adams, Gazelle Abramson, Nazi Concentration Camp Survivor, and many more. I consider my greatest achievements to be my marriage of 26 years to my wife, Jayne and my kids; daughter Taylor (26 years) PA Student at HPU and son Jordie (24 years) who who works at Edward Jones in High Point.Specialties: PUBLIC SPEAKING - Presents at 50 plus engagements a year specializing in youth issues, philanthrophy, character education, inspirational and spritual/athletic. Featured in Our State Magazine, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, US News and World Report, and Wall Street Journal. Seen on NBC\'s Olympic Moments and PAX TV\'s \"It\'s a Miracle.\" WRITER - Speech Writer - 20 years experience, Nonfiction Writer - written/published 4 books, Newspaper Columnist and Corporate Writer.

Experience

1. President

   High Point Community Foundation

   May 1998 — Present · US

   Responsible for all facets of administrative management, development, marketing, asset management, and donor relations. Has grown the Foundation from $5 million in 1998 to $117 million in 2018. Has supervised the granting of $6 million in unrestricted grants and $44 million in Donor Advised grants. Oversees staff, and 22 member Board of Trustees and coordinates the work of 10 committees. Extensive writing (including a column for the High Point Enterprise \"Giving 101\"​) and speaking responsibilities with over 50 engagements a year. Community leadership that involves initiative building to create social capital and positive change for the community of High Point. Most recently serving as fundraiser for $70 million \"Say Yes\" Scholarship Program for Guilford County that will insure all public school students who graduate and are accepted in a 2 or 4 year tech school or university will have their tuition paid. This is perhaps one of the most significant initiatives of our generation in Guilford County.

Education

• Harvard University Business School

  Post Graduate Studies, Nonprofit Management

  2005

• High Point University

  BA, Undergraduate Degrees in English and History

  1975 — 1980

• University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Communications

  Master of Fine Arts, Communications

  1985 — 1988

Skills

• Workshop Facilitation
• Philanthropy
• Non-Profit Board Development
• Speech Writing
• Annual Giving
• Community Relations
• Marketing
• Newsletters
• Advertising
• Event Planning
• Staff Development
• Resource Development
• Small Business
• Organizational Development
• Leadership Development
• Grants
• Non-Profits
• Stewardship
• Grassroots Organizing
• Fundraising
• Planned Giving
• Proposal Writing
• Strategic Communications
• Strategic Planning
• Nonprofits
• Motivational Speaking
• Sponsorship
• Creative Direction
• Budgets
• Conflict Resolution
• Community Outreach
• Community Development
• Public Relations
• Media Relations
• Press Releases
• Entrepreneurship
• Program Development
• Management
• Grant Writing
• Leadership