Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees announces appointment of new Board Treasurer

Appointment of Stuart West brings new financial experience and skill to the Board of Trustees

San Francisco, California April 21, 2008 – The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart West to the Board, and to the position of Board Treasurer. The appointment is effective immediately.

West brings over 15 years of financial experience, including senior executive roles at publicly-traded companies including Yahoo! Inc., TiVo Inc., and in investment banking at J.P. Morgan & Co. He also worked with the United States Mission to the United Nations. Stuart's educational background includes a B.A. in History from Yale University, where he focused on 20th century diplomacy, and the Executive Program for Growing Companies at the Stanford Business School. He is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom.

"We are extremely pleased that Stu will be joining the Wikimedia Board of Trustees," said Florence Devouard, the board's chair. "Stuart's considerable experience leading financial operations with top technology companies, combined with his broad, international experience, will help improve our work in guiding and supporting the Foundation and its free knowledge projects."

Stuart West's appointment on the Board comes at an important time in the history of the Wikimedia Foundation. With the full relocation of the headquarters to San Francisco, staff and the Board are now focusing efforts on a broad fundraising and development strategy, and on the professionalizing of the Foundation's administrative and accounting processes.

"It's an honor to join the Board of Trustees," said West. "The Wikimedia Foundation provides important, free educational resources to hundreds of millions of people around the world. I am delighted to join a charity that has such an extraordinary real-world impact. I am also thrilled to have the opportunity to bring my financial experience to serve the community that has created Wikipedia and so many other impressive projects."

Stuart West will serve alongside the Chair, Florence Devouard, and the other members of the Board of Trustees, Frieda Brioschi, Kat Walsh, Domas Mituzas, Michael Snow, Jan-Bart de Vreede, and Jimmy Wales.

For a high resolution photograph, visit Image:StuWest April08.jpg.

For more information about the Board of Trustees, visit Board of Trustees.

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