HOPE Foundation announces leadership change

The Hypertherm Owners’ Philanthropic Endeavors (HOPE) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public foundation, today announced a change in leadership. After founding and leading the Foundation for ten years, HOPE Foundation President Barbara Couch is handing the reigns to Jenny Levy, Hypertherm’s Vice President of People, Community, and Environment.

Ms. Couch’s decision, made after careful deliberation during the past year, provides her with more time to focus on her family’s own Couch Family Foundation, other board responsibilities, and loved ones. Ms. Couch, who joined Hypertherm in 1987, is largely viewed as the driving force behind Hypertherm’s philanthropic programs, including its Community Service Time program. Under her guidance, the HOPE Foundation has received national recognition for its work and its unique model in which a cross-section of Hypertherm Associates make grant allocation decisions.

“As a part of my life for more than three decades, Hypertherm and the HOPE Foundation, are incredibly important to me,” Ms. Couch remarked. “My decision to step back as president of HOPE has been carefully planned and the Foundation could not be in better hands. Jenny is a remarkable person and leader who is deeply committed to our work. I know she will thoughtfully nurture the Foundation so it continues to execute on its mission to strengthen and create sustainable, positive change in our communities and the environment.”

Ms. Levy joined Hypertherm in 2004, holding various leadership positions before her promotion to a Hypertherm vice president in 2015. She is responsible for overseeing the company’s human resources and corporate social responsibility functions and was instrumental is developing the company’s aggressive environmental strategies. She holds an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

As president of the HOPE Foundation, she plans to further the work inspired by Ms. Couch. This includes expanding the Foundation’s three strategic focus areas: SHAPE for STEM, Substance Use Disorders, and Early Childhood Development. Her goals also include embedding inclusion, diversity, and equity in to the work of the HOPE Foundation and broadening the Foundation’s global impact.

Established in 2010, the HOPE Foundation is a public nonprofit Foundation. Grant investments fall within a set of core impact areas that align the greatest needs in the community, the interests of our Associates, and the values of our business. The Foundation also supports projects that reduce the environmental impact of nonprofits serving our community. These Green Grants are used to fund projects that tangibly reduce the carbon emissions of our partners. Learn more at www.hyperthermhopefoundation.org.

Hypertherm engineers and manufactures industrial cutting products used by companies around the world to build ships, airplanes, and railcars, construct steel buildings, manufacture heavy equipment, and more. Its products include cutting systems, CNCs, and software trusted for performance and reliability that result in increased productivity and profitability for hundreds of thousands of businesses. Founded in 1968 and based in New Hampshire, Hypertherm is a 100 percent Associate owned company, employing more than 1,800 Associates, with operations and partner representation worldwide. Learn more at www.hypertherm.com.