Planned Giving
In the winter of 1989, Mike Gentry was invited to serve as Treasurer of Santa Maria’s Board by then Board President, Val Sena. Val and Bill Sena were Mike’s friends, and they talked highly about Santa Maria and its mission. Coincidentally, Mike was looking for volunteer and service opportunities in Cincinnati. He got involved as the Treasurer first, and then became the Vice Chair, and eventually took the position of the Board Chair and stayed in that role for three years. He said that he thoroughly enjoyed his years of service and so did his wife, Becky, since she got involved in the agency’s Development Committee and helped plan events. “We both loved helping with organizing the big party in 1997 to celebrate Santa Maria’s centennial,” Mike said.
Their daughter, Grace, was born in 1996, and that made Mike and Becky start thinking long term. They started planning for their future more closely and including Santa Maria in their wills came naturally as they worked on their estate planning. A number of factors played a role in making that decision: they are both big fans of H.A. Musser, the President and CEO of Santa Maria, and they highly value the mission of the organization. Mike said, “I actually got to vote when H.A. was selected from being interim CEO to assuming that role permanently.”
Mike rotated off the Board of Santa Maria in 1997, since he was building his family and career, but he returned in 2018. “H.A. and I kept in touch all those years, and I was glad to be back,” Mike said. “The mission of Santa Maria is still the same, although the work is different. We are energized by seeing younger people on the Board and on the committees. H.A.’s role as the leader of the agency and in the community is very strong. The agency does great work in helping those in need help themselves.”
Mike stated that he is at a different place in both his personal and professional lives, and, based on life experiences, he now has a deeper appreciation of Santa Maria’s work and its impact. “I am glad to see some of the old timers also being back on the Board – old friends like Barb Kruetzkamp and Ted Mitchel. My conviction about leaving a legacy gift to Santa Maria has strengthened through the years,” Mike said.
Mike’s story is one of service, dedication and generosity that truly demonstrates the power of a legacy and its ability to touch many, many lives through planned giving.
Many people give to our annual fund, and their generosity provides for the everyday operations of our agency. However, making a planned (deferred) gift to Santa Maria can ensure that the legacy builds a financial foundation upon which other generations of annual givers can build. Your legacy gift would fund great human service programs and help families be self-sufficient.
Whether your interests are in issues related to parenting and child development, self-sufficiency for struggling families, financial stability of families, or the general wellbeing of our agency, Santa Maria will help tailor your legacy to a personalized legacy fund. Having said that, an unrestricted designation will ensure that your gift remains relevant.
If you have any questions about making a planned gift to Santa Maria, please contact Nune Sargsyan by calling (513) 557-7267 or e-mailing at nune.sargsyan@santamaria-cincy.org. You can also contact your financial advisor, and we will be glad to work with him/her.