Inspiring Good

Dr. Pete McCown is president of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. Since taking on that role in 2011, more than $250 million in gifts have been given to the foundation. As president, he serves as chief investment officer and helps coordinate work of both the growing staff and the dozens of volunteers who serve as board and committee members. As it has grown to be one of the top 100 community foundations in the United States, McCown has guided the organization and helped shape its culture, strategies and policies.

Prior to taking on that role in 2011, McCown served as a professor of business and vice president for advancement at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. Pete and his wife, Wendy, are parents of five children. Pete and Wendy are active members of South Bend City Church.

Carrie Berghoff is the Chief Development Officer for the Community Foundation of Elkhart County and says it’s her dream job. She oversees activities related to our donors and assists them with their philanthropic giving. She was born and raised in Elkhart and graduated from Indiana University in 2008 after studying event management, business and entrepreneurship. She worked for Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ campaign and then in the Office of the Governor. She joined the Community Foundation in 2016. Carrie is married to Drake Berghoff and they have two little girls and two dogs. She enjoys traveling, yoga, baking and being with her kids.

Cole Patuzzi is the Chief Financial Officer for the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. He is part of the team responsible for tracking the foundation’s financial activity. He also helps implement investment decisions and oversee operations, including human relations and IT services. He joined the Community Foundation in 2013 after working as an accountant in the Elkhart office of Kruggel, Lawton and Company LLC from 2009 to 2013. He graduated summa cum laude from Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana, in 2008 with bachelor’s degrees in both mathematics and accounting. Cole attends Brenneman Memorial Missionary Church in Goshen and is a member of Goshen Rotary Club. He was a honored in the Michiana Forty Under 40 Class of 2018 for the South Bend-Elkhart Region. In his spare time, he enjoys running and spending time with family and friends.

As Chief Program Officer, Candy Yoder oversees all the grant making processes at the Community Foundation of Elkhart County and focuses on helping children and families in the community. She works with the Program Team and grant making committees to give grants and help assure successful outcomes. She joined the foundation in summer 2018 after nearly three decades at Child And Parent Services. She joined CAPS in 1989 as a program coordinator, leading the development of new programs. She became President and CEO in 2009 and oversaw significant growth for the organization. Candy has served on the boards for Concord Community Schools, Horizon Education Alliance and Goshen Health System. She is a member of Sugar Grove Church and Elkhart Rotary Club. She has been married to Darrel for more than 40 years and has two adult children. In her rare spare time, she enjoys bicycling and reading.

Brian D. Cook is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. In his career spanning 25 years, he has managed marketing teams and implemented strategies in a variety of settings. He worked at the University of Notre Dame from 2005 to 2019, including as director of marketing for the Mendoza College of Business from 2017 to 2019. During that time he oversaw a digital-first marketing and advertising strategy to improve enrollment in graduate programs and led a comprehensive redesign of the college’s website. In addition to other roles at Mendoza, he has worked as a creative director and marketing manager in a range of business and advertising agency settings in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Cook joins the management team of the foundation and is overseeing a new marketing and communications department. Brian and his wife, Traci, a teacher at Concord West Side Elementary, have three adult children.