Pittsburgh Foundation Chief Named to Run Heinz Endowments

Turning to a former manager with longtime ties to its founding family, the Heinz Endowments has named Pittsburgh Foundation leader Grant Oliphant as its new president, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Mr. Oliphant, 53, is expected to rejoin Heinz in June. He replaces Robert Vagt, who left in January under a cloud of controversy over the Pittsburgh-based philanthropy’s commitment to environmental issues, fueled by grants for research into sustainable methods of natural-gas drilling, or fracking, and by Mr. Vagt’s ties to the energy industry.

A former press secretary to the late Sen. John Heinz, Mr. Oliphant joined the Heinz philanthropy in 1993 and held several management positions. He had been considered the frontrunner to become its president in 2007, when the philanthropy hired Mr. Vagt instead, according to the Post-Gazette. Mr. Oliphant left to become president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation in 2008.

“He has a deep understanding of Pittsburgh, an informed and strategic view of philanthropy, and a close personal alignment with our family’s philanthropic and community values,” said Teresa Heinz Kerry, who chairs the Heinz Endowments board, in a statement quoted by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

Read a Chronicle of Philanthropy article about Robert Vagt’s retirement from the Heinz Endowments.