ERIE – The Erie Community Foundation (ECF) Board of Trustees recently announced the appointment of Erie Insurance President & Chief Executive Officer Tim NeCastro to its board of trustees, effective January 1, 2024. NeCastro will serve a three-year term, renewable up to nine years. Foundation trustees are identified and approved by ECF Trustees who strive for a board that represents the broader community and assures input, diverse perspectives and involvement in philanthropy and community revitalization.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tim as a new member. His deep knowledge of the community, coupled with his strong leadership skills, makes him a valuable addition,” said Karen Bilowith, president and CEO of The Erie Community Foundation. “Tim’s vision and commitment to creating a united, vibrant and thriving region for all will enrich our board discussions and decisions to make positive impact.”
NeCastro and his wife, Lisa, are heavily involved in volunteering and supporting the Erie community. The couple recently co-chaired the expERIEnce Children’s Museum “Full STEAM Ahead” capital campaign, which helped fund the $18 million expansion and renovation of the museum. In addition, the NeCastros are now serving as co-chairs for United Way of Erie County’s “Uniting for Education: Going the Distance” endowment campaign to support public education by sustaining the Community School Model in Erie County for future generations. In 2023, the NeCastros were also named Outstanding Philanthropists by the Northwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). NeCastro said he is excited to join the board of the Erie Community Foundation, one of the nation’s premier community foundations — consistently ranked in the top 10 percent for its commitment to connecting donors to important causes and solving problems through grantmaking and strategic investments.
“I’m honored to join a board of strong civic leaders and to be part of an organization that’s been improving the quality of life in the Erie region for nearly 90 years,” said NeCastro. “The Erie Community Foundation is a model for other organizations of its kind in the country and I’m excited to use my passion and experience to help it continue this longstanding legacy and grow its impact.”
NeCastro has served as ERIE’s president and CEO since 2016. He joined ERIE in 1996, starting a career that has spanned finance, services and sales. He managed ERIE’s Internal Auditing Department and was then promoted to senior vice president of the Controller Division in 1997. In 2008, he moved into operations as senior vice president of the Product and Policy Services Division. He then expanded his experience to field sales operations in 2010, when he was promoted to senior vice president and regional officer. His territorial oversight included Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2014, NeCastro led ERIE’s entry into its 12th state, Kentucky.
Prior to joining ERIE, NeCastro worked for The Plastek Group in Erie, Pennsylvania, as director of finance. He previously worked for 10 years progressing through senior manager at Ernst & Young, one of the then “Big Five” public accounting firms, in its Cleveland and Erie offices. An Erie native, NeCastro is a graduate of Cathedral Preparatory School and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Gannon University. He serves on the board of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and is a council member for The Pennsylvania Society. He is also founding board president of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC), which is transforming the downtown core of the city through real estate development and sparking investment and revitalization across the region.
The Erie Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire, engage and empower donors and communities across the region, today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.ErieCommunityFoundation.org.
