LIVONIA — Valassis (NYSE: VCI), one of the nation’s leading media and marketing services companies, has named Luis A. Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation, to the Valassis Board of Directors.
In his role at the Ford Foundation, the second largest philanthropic foundation in the United States, Ubinas helped to more clearly define the foundation’s objectives and streamline its global operations. With over $10.5 billion in assets and $500 million in annual giving, the Foundation operates worldwide and has offices in Asia and Africa as well as Central and South America. Under his direction, he helped place greater emphasis on demonstrating the impact of the Foundation’s programs.
As president of the Ford Foundation since 2008, Ubinas has built a program strategy focused on how new technology and social media can reshape the way nonprofits deliver results for those they serve. To maximize the resources available to grantees, Ubinas also led the restructuring of the Foundation’s operations and endowment management.
“Luis brings to our board a wealth of experience in driving transformational change,” said Alan F. Schultz, Valassis chairman of the board. “His board expertise will help guide our efforts to innovate and enhance the value we deliver to clients and consumers.”
Prior to joining the Ford Foundation, Ubinas was a director at McKinsey & Co., leading the firm’s media practice on the West Coast. He served technology, telecommunications and media companies, working with them to develop and implement strategies and improve operations. While at McKinsey, he led research on the impact of new technologies on business, and much of his work focused on the opportunities and challenges represented by the growth of Internet and wireless technologies. He has spoken extensively on trends in the communications arena.
Ubinas serves on several nonprofit, government and corporate boards and advisory committees, including the High Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development, the Advisory Committee for the U.S.-China 100,000 Strong Initiative and the boards of the New York Public Library and the Collegiate School for Boys. He also serves on the Board of Electronic Arts and on the U.S. Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiation.
Ubinas is a graduate of Harvard College, where he was named a Truman Scholar, and Harvard Business School, where he graduated with highest honors. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
