New Vice President Of Development At The Morton Arboretum

Tree Museum Welcomes New Fundraising Executive

LISLE, IL (April 10, 2007) –The Morton Arboretum has hired a new fundraising executive to help support its growing efforts to connect people with trees and nature. Jill Koski is the new Vice President of Development, overseeing fundraising at one of the world’s leading tree museums. The Arboretum’s programs in Education, Research and Collections help make the world greener, healthier and more beautiful with trees.

“Jill is a talented professional with expertise in philanthropy and a keen interest in the Arboretum’s tree-planting and conservation mission. These strengths position her well to lead our fundraising effort,” said Dr. Gerard T. Donnelly, Arboretum President and CEO.

The Arboretum is a nonprofit organization that relies upon donations for support. With the exception of occasional grants, the Arboretum does not receive tax support or other public funds. As the Arboretum expands its public service to the community, it requires expanded philanthropic support for its programs.

As examples of this expansion, school programs in the Arboretum’s Education program served 39,500 children in 2006, a 42% increase over the previous year. Arboretum Plant Clinic experts answered more than 17,000 questions from 259 zip codes about the care of trees and other plants. Over the past two years, Arboretum attendance has increased nearly 80% to 735,000, engaging many more visitors and members in its mission.  Today, thousands of Arboretum-developed trees are thriving in locations around the world.

Koski will build on these successes by encouraging the Arboretum’s 31,000 members and others with philanthropic interests to support programs that help trees, people, communities, and the Arboretum itself, to flourish.

Koski’s background includes more than 12 years at Chicago nonprofits that focus on nature, education, science, children, and families.  Most recently, at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, she was Senior Director responsible for the capital campaign as well as  major and planned gifts.  During her tenure, annual and major gifts revenue increased by 35 percent. Koski also managed membership growth from 4,500 to 46,000 members.  Earlier, she led volunteer, membership, and development programs at the Chicago Academy of Sciences (now Notebaert Nature Museum)

An influential leader in her field, Koski just completed a term as President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Chicago Chapter. She has been active in the American Association of Museums, the Volunteer Center of Oak Park and River Forest, and the Chicago Children’s Museum.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized 1,700-acre outdoor museum with collections of 4,057 kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world. The Arboretum's beautiful natural landscapes, gardens, research and education programs, and year-round family activities support its mission – the planting and conservation of trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Conveniently located at I-88 and Rte. 53 in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier, Central Time. The Children's Garden is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CDT) and 9:30 to 4 p.m. (CST). Visit www.mortonarb.org or call 630-968-0074 to learn more.

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