Trustee John Taft retires from the Sudbury Foundation
 

John E. Taft, long-time trustee of the Sudbury Foundation, has announced his retirement after 34 years leading the foundation’s charitable efforts. Taft joined the Foundation in 1973, the first successor trustee appointed following the death of both founders, Herbert Atkinson in 1966 and Esther Atkinson in 1973. Since that time, Taft has been instrumental in setting the direction and policies for the Foundation which was established in 1952.

Taft orchestrated the subdivision and sale of the Atkinsons’ property, now known as Atkinson Farm, which significantly increased the Foundation’s assets in the late 1980s.

Taft’s vision guided several significant capital projects in Sudbury including construction of the Atkinson Pool, renovation of the Goodnow Library and the historic preservation of its original octagon structure, preservation of the 68-acre Piper Farm and, more recently, the acquisition and historic renovation of the Grange Hall, the new home of the Sudbury Foundation, the Sudbury Grange #121 and a community meeting space for local nonprofits and town committees.

Taft helped to create the Foundation’s environmental grants program which has had significant impact on conservation and community sustainability in the Northern Forest and Gulf of Maine fisheries. He also oversaw a review and revision of the Foundation’s long-time student aid program, now named the Atkinson Scholarship Program, which currently distributes $300,000 a year in scholarship assistance to promising local students with financial need.

In 2002, Taft wrote a history of the Foundation, drafted for its 50th anniversary celebration.

Taft and his wife, Nancy, moved to Sudbury in 1958 and were active at First Parish of Sudbury, where the Atkinsons had worshipped. Taft participated on several Sudbury town committees before winning election to the Board of Selectmen where he served from 1964-1976. Taft graduated from MIT with an engineering degree and worked at Sylvania Electronic Systems in Waltham and Computer Control Company in Framingham, which later became Honeywell Computer System, until 1987. The Tafts now live in Brewster, MA. They have three grown children who live in Sudbury, Weston and Westborough, and 7 grandchildren.

Noted Richard H. Davison, chair of the trustees, "I have known John for almost 45 years, first as a neighbor and for the past 21 years as a trustee of the Foundation and as a friend. John's energy, focus on details, listening skills and clear sense of what is right are key to why the Foundation is a strong and vibrant organization today, well-positioned to meet community needs in Sudbury and elsewhere in the future.”

The Sudbury Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations in Sudbury and surrounding communities and to environmental organizations working to protect the Northern Forest and Gulf of Maine fisheries. It also operates the Atkinson Scholarship Program which provides college scholarships to local high school students.