Richard Schlosberg Named CEO of Packard Charity

The $9.6-billion Packard Foundation reached beyond the world of philanthropy for a new president and chief executive Tuesday, naming Richard T. Schlosberg III, the former publisher and chief executive of the Los Angeles Times, to the post.

Schlosberg, 54, joins the Bay Area foundation at a critical time in its history. In 1996, it vaulted to the top echelon of philanthropic organizations with a $5-billion bequest of stock from the estate of technology pioneer David Packard. This is the first year that the foundation will tap proceeds from that endowment.

Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard Inc., created the foundation in 1964 with his wife, Lucile. At the time of Packard’s death at the age of 83, its assets were worth $2.3 billion.

The foundation, based in Los Altos, is the nation’s third largest, behind the Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis, with $15.4 billion in assets, and the Ford Foundation, with $10.7 billion.

“We chose Dick because we thought he had the best mix of leadership experience, skills and drive to manage the foundation during its next stage,” said Julie Packard, who chaired the committee that nominated Schlosberg.

In the three years since the bequest, Packard said, the foundation explored ideas for expanding its list of priorities. In the end, however, the foundation’s board concluded that its core interests “were the ones that we wanted to continue to pursue.”

The foundation awards grants in the areas of science, conservation, arts, children, families, education, communities and organizational effectiveness.

Last fall, it announced a $375-million, five-year grant to family planning programs in developing countries, the largest gift ever given for that purpose. In December, the foundation said it would create a fund of equal size for environmental conservation.

The foundation also is spending $15 million this year to staff more than 200 California schools with literacy coaches to help teachers improve their instruction of early reading.

Schlosberg said his challenge will be to implement the foundation’s strategic plans in those areas, rather than chart a new course. Although new to the world of philanthropy, he said lessons learned from business and journalism will serve him well.

“Like journalism, I think this world is based on high ideals and innovation and intellectual energy,” he said.

He added that values learned in business, “many having to do with accountability, evaluation, assessment and judgment, all . . . are easily transferable . . . to a nonprofit world.”

Dorothy S. Ridings, who heads the Council on Foundations, said Schlosberg is taking over the leadership of a highly respected organization that has done a good job of managing its sudden growth.

Although many of the nation’s largest and best known philanthropic organizations are still in the East, Packard has helped shift attention to giving that emanates from the West Coast.

The number of foundations based on the fortunes of high-tech entrepreneurs is growing rapidly. For the first time last year, Ridings said, the number of California-based foundations that are members of the council surpassed the number based in New York.

Schlosberg joined Times Mirror Co., the corporate parent of the Los Angeles Times, in 1983 as publisher and chief executive of the Denver Post. In 1988, he was named president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Times. He became publisher and chief executive in 1994 and left in 1997.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. He served five years as an Air Force pilot and is a Vietnam War veteran.

Schlosberg is replacing Colburn S. Wilbur, who is retiring after 23 years with the foundation.