The Scharbauer Foundation announced the retirement of its President and CEO Grant Billingsley. The announcement was made on May 20 in a post on the foundation’s website.
According to the post, Billingsley has been with the organization since its inception, becoming the first employee and executive director in 2011. His retirement will become effective at the end of 2024.
“It has been my honor to work for the foundation from its earliest days, and through these years, I have been blessed to work with an outstanding Board, a talented and dedicated staff, and wonderful funding and project partners,” said Billingsley in the post. “I look forward to cheering on the bigger and better things that will come from these same groups in the years ahead.”
Billingsley had a 25-year career with Wagner & Brown, Ltd., and held leadership roles in various state and local organizations prior to his tenure at the Scharbauer Foundation.
“Grant was the perfect pick by Mr. Scharbauer to lead this Foundation from its beginning, as Grant has been a leader in addressing long-term issues in Midland,” said Foundation Board Chair Dan Hord in the post. “The Foundation has grown from $50 million to over $500 million in assets in 10 years under his leadership, and Grant was perfectly suited for the job with a leadership style that can build consensus and push for common long-term solutions. As a mentor to me, it has been a privilege to work and learn alongside Grant. I am going to miss his instinctive wisdom.”
According to the post, the board conducted a search for a new leader in preparation for Billingsley’s retirement and announced that Mary Ann Beninati will join the Scharbauer Foundation staff later in 2024 and transition to president and CEO in January 2025.
Beninati has been a resident of Midland since 2008 and has held roles in the community and the energy sector. She joined Concho Resources upon her arrival in Midland and became vice president and chief of staff until its sale to ConocoPhillips in 2021. Most recently she served as Head of Human Resources - Lower 48 at ConocoPhillips, overseeing the integration of the Midland Office and the Concho and Shell acquisitions. Her community involvement includes serving as board president of Trinity School of Midland and as a past board president of the YMCA of Midland.