Carpenter Leaving CEO Post At Winthrop Rockefeller Institute

Christy Carpenter, CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, says she will retire from her post on May 31, 2013.

“After long consideration, I have decided to leave my position as chief executive officer of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute at the end of my second year of service on May 31. The remoteness of WRI’s location and its distance from my husband, Robert Walden’s, work in Los Angeles are major factors in my decision, as is my desire to dedicate my energies fully to working on national and global issues.

“Robert and I plan to split the remainder of this year between Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, where I will also devote time to reviewing the papers of my late mother, former White House aide Liz Carpenter, for permanent archiving at the LBJ Library.

“I have been honored to lead WRI into a new era of relevance and impact and to have had the opportunity to further the legacy of Winthrop Rockefeller. Rockefeller brought to Arkansas innovative ideas, imagination, a willingness to confront social injustice and inertia, and a passion for improving the lives of his fellow man. His life and example will continue to inspire me for the rest of my life, and I hope WRI will continue on a path that reflects his courageous spirit.

“Robert and I appreciate tremendously the wonderful people with whom we have worked and established friendships over the past two years. We expect many of these friendships to last a lifetime, and we look forward to returning to Arkansas from time to time.”