OUR BOARD
John Fruth
Founder & President
“Education should open doors, not create barriers. Our foundation exists to help students see a clear path forward - and to ensure they have the support to walk it.”
— Founder & President, Fruth Family Foundation
Bettina Kochinke
Board Member
Bettina Kochinke established the U.S. market presence for two European companies in the optical eyewear industry, building nationwide sales forces to support their growth. Bettina joined the Fruth Family Foundation in the early days of its inception and strongly believes in its mission to expand educational opportunities for underprivileged children while supporting dual career pathways and career training choices. She feels privileged to serve on the board and is honored to give back in support of meaningful, lasting impact.
Jim Welch
Board Member
Jim Welch has 40 years experience in the medical device industry as both an entrepreneur and a corporate leader. In addition to broad operating and executive experience for companies in the vision care and related industry, Jim has also served as an angel investor, board member, and advisor for a number of startups in the wider medical device industry. He has served as an officer for two public companies. Jim has also served as volunteer on a variety of private committees and projects for charitable organizations. Jim joined the Fruth Family Foundation in 2021 to serve on the board and as an advisor. He is a longtime associate and friend of the Foundations founder and family. Jim received a BS in Engineering from Clarkson University and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Jean Fruth
Managing Director & Board Member
Jean Fruth is the Managing Director and a Board Member of the Fruth Family Foundation, where she brings decades of executive leadership, entrepreneurial experience, and mission-driven storytelling to the foundation’s philanthropic work.
Prior to her career in photography and filmmaking Jean built a strong business foundation in the optical industry. She served as Vice President of Sales and Operations for a large national chain of retail optical stores, overseeing multi-location operations, growth strategy, and team leadership. After relocating from New York to San Francisco, she became an entrepreneur, purchasing and operating her own retail locations while also opening new stores. This early career shaped her strengths in organizational leadership, strategic planning, and operational management, skills she now applies to nonprofit governance and foundation leadership.
Jean later pivoted from business to pursue her lifelong passion for visual storytelling. The author of three books and a feature-length documentary film, she is an internationally recognized photographer and filmmaker and the co-founder of two nonprofit organizations - Grassroots Baseball and See Her Be Her - which use sports as a vehicle to empower youth, underserved communities, and women globally.
In recognition of her impact as a visual storyteller and changemaker, Jean was honored with the 2025 United Nations International Photographic Council Achievement Award.
Mary Jo Potter
Board Member
Mary Jo Potter is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with more than 35 years of experience building, scaling, and backing innovative companies, particularly in the healthcare sector. She founded and successfully sold a company to McGraw Hill before becoming an active angel investor 26 years ago through Keiretsu Forum.
Today, Mary Jo is a long-standing member of Keiretsu Forum and a General Partner at Keiretsu Capital, where she serves on the investment committee. She also serves as Managing Partner of Healthcare Angels and Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures. In addition, she is an LP in Purple Arch Ventures (Northwestern University’s venture fund) and Portfolia, and an advisor and investor at K2X. She is also a member of Band of Angels and SkyDeck.
Mary Jo sits on several boards and has helped six companies achieve successful exits through IPOs or acquisitions.
Andrew Bertolli
Board Member
Andrew is a Managing Director and leads Transaction Execution at Zanbato where he is responsible for capital origination, deal sourcing, structuring, and fund operations. He sits on the investment and valuation committees for Zanbato Capital which manages a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of late-stage private equity assets.
Andrew is also on the Board of the Fruth Family Foundation – helping to direct capital towards career training education for underserved youth.
Andrew was previously a corporate lawyer at Latham & Watkins where he advised growth companies, VC and PE funds, and other sponsors in a variety of deals and governance matters. Andrew started his career as a litigator at Latham defending companies in complex commercial lawsuits and investigations. Andrew has experience working in-house for a public tech company and at an investment bank.
Andrew received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from UCLA where he graduated magna cum laude and with honors.
Paul Muyskens
Special Assistant
Paul Muyskens, PhD, serves as a Special Assistant to the Fruth Family Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation Paul served as the Academic Research Manager for Sourcewell and was a school psychologist with Minneapolis Public Schools. He specializes in research, program evaluation, and assessment activities for school districts, and has managed the design, development, and implementation of multiple software products designed to enhance data-based decision-making.