Fred C. Sears II is the past President and CEO of the Delaware Community Foundation. Through his work with the Foundation, he encourages individuals, businesses and organizations to engage in long-term charitable giving to improve the statewide community, now and in the future. Fred has served as a community leader in the greater Wilmington area and with organizations serving residents throughout Delaware for over forty-five years.

Prior to taking on the leadership of the Delaware Community Foundation, Fred had a 38-year career in banking, most recently as president of Commerce Bank / Delaware. Early in his banking career, Fred took time out to serve as Finance Director and Director of Commerce of the City of Wilmington and Director of the Port of Wilmington. He was elected to City Council from 1976 through 1984 and has continued to be politically active by serving on the transition team for Mayor James Sills, co-chairing transition teams for Governor Ruth Ann Minner and New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, and chairing the Budget and Finance subcommittee for Governor Jack Markell. Fred has been a member of the Board of Directors of more than forty community nonprofit organizations.

He currently serves as chairman of the Wilmington Economic and Financial Advisory Council and advisor to TD Bank. He is a director of Christiana Care Medical Center, Delaware Alliance of Nonprofit Advancement, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Diamond State Port Corporation, Leadership Delaware, Delaware Grantmaker’s Association, Fraunhofer USA Delaware, Rodel Foundation of Delaware, the Wilmington Housing Partnership, and the United Way of Delaware. He is a member of the Delaware Anti-Hunger Coalition, Delaware Business Roundtable, State of Delaware Council for Development, the Nemours Health and Prevention Services Advisory Board and the Wilmington Rotary Club. Fred has also served as chairman for numerous golf tournaments and other fundraising activities for more than 25 different nonprofit organizations throughout Delaware.

Fred has been honored by several organizations for his business and community leadership, including the Destiny CDC Community Award; State Farm Insurance Good Neighbor Ujima Non-Profit Leadership Award; Goldey-Beacom College Ethics in Business Award; Goldey-Beacom College Honorary Doctor of Business Administration; NCCJ Annual Award; Association of Fundraising Professionals Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy Award; Opportunity Center, Inc. Founders Award; Wilmington Rotary Club
Distinguished Service Award; United Negro College Fund Distinguished Service Award; the Wilmington Junior Chamber of Commerce Young Man of the Year Award in 1977; and, the Marvin Gilman Superstars in Business Award. The Delmarva Council, Boy Scouts of America, named Fred its first Citizen of the Year in June 2005.

Fred is a Delaware native who has always lived in the Wilmington area. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business Administration from the University of Delaware.