Otis Briggs
Founding Executive Director

Our History

On Christmas Eve of 1951, a small group of friends gathered to sign incorporation papers that established the Hamilton Community Foundation. Those founders were: Cyrus J. Fitton, William Murstein, Huntington V. Parrish, Frederick A. Reister, Robert M. Sohngen, William J. Wolf and W. Otis Briggs, Jr.

The Hamilton Community Foundation is a result of the interest and efforts of this small group of civic-minded Hamiltonians who envisioned a non-profit, charitable organization which would help improve the quality of life for the community and its citizens.

An initial GIFT of $5,000 from William Murstein got the Foundation on its way. Growth came slowly. It took 15 years for the organization to accumulate $500,000, but in recent years - as more and more citizens have learned of the Foundation and its work - its assets have grown rapidly.

The same spirit of humanity which inspired the founding fathers has motivated hundreds of Butler Countians who have since contributed their time, money and effort to the work of the Foundation.