Julia M. Groom-Thompson named president of Episcopal Church Building Fund

"Julia's strong leadership qualities and experience from 25 years of high level executive service to one of the world's great humanitarian organizations seemed to be an excellent fit for the Building Fund at this point in its long history," said the Rev. Ralph R. (Hap) Warren, Jr., rector of Bethesda-by-the Sea, Palm Beach, Florida and chair of the Search Committee.

Groom-Thompson has had a 25-year career with the American Red Cross, most recently serving as executive director of its Susquehanna Valley Chapter headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In this role, she was responsible for the chapter’s strategic direction and operation of its service area of nearly 1 million constituents, utilizing a volunteer base of 1,500 persons. Prior to that, she served as executive director in the Northern Utah and Mid Coast Maine Chapters of the Red Cross.

"I am delighted to know that the folks at 815 have discovered another gifted and faithful Utahn. We celebrate the election and wish her well in this new position," said Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish of Utah.

A graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Groom-Thompson has been notably active in The Episcopal Church. She served as a member of the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Utah and as stewardship chair of both Good Shepherd Church of Ogden, Utah and St. James in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is currently a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Lancaster.

"We welcome Julia to the Building Fund. In parting, it should be noted that Father Fulton's 20 years of service with the Building Fund, including 17 years as president, have witnessed remarkable growth in the scale and importance of its activities within the Episcopal Church," said the Rt. Rev. Gethin B. Hughes, retired Bishop of San Diego, and ECBF board chair. "Charles' unique combination of personal and professional qualities enabled him to lead the Building Fund into the proactive area of congregational development for the Church as well as continuing its traditional work as a key funding source for new Church plantings and rehabilitation and improvements of existing Church facilities."

Groom-Thompson and her husband, Bill, have two Airedales.

ECBF, autonomous and self-supporting, was founded in 1880 to respond to the expansion of the Episcopal Church throughout the United States and the subsequent church building projects. Its mission is "Helping Build the Church and Helping the Church to Build." Funded through individual and diocesan gifts and recently a large transfer from the United Thank Offering (UTO), ECBF loans have met a variety of needs over the years.