Kathleen Feil Reeves

Community Relations Manager
Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Years in philanthropy? 14

Years in the St. Louis region? 16

How did you get started in philanthropy? 
During my tenure at Mercantile Bank (now U.S. Bank) I went to work with Dean Keyes doing community development.  Our responsibility was to direct the Bank’s efforts in meeting our community reinvestment act (CRA) requirements.  All of our financial support was provided to agencies addressing affordable housing, small business support and the needs of underserved people.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Working with people of substance both at Enterprise and in the community.  It has been very rewarding to get to know such great people doing important things and to watch them over time.  I work with amazing people.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
My own patience  

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year? 
The College Access Pipeline project.  The work that this collaborative is doing is so important and I really believe that we can impact change.  The partners in the project are each talented and driven and we each believe that all young people deserve better options for their future.

When I'm not working I'm....
cooking and gardening

Wendy Jaffe

Executive Director, Trio Foundation of St. Louis

Years in philanthropy? 16
 
Years in the St. Louis region? 18

How did you get started in philanthropy?
As a graduate school candidate at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University I had an intership (that developed into a full time job) at Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

What is your favorite part about your job?
It's all about the people, starting with the family members on the board. They are all intelligent, caring individuals who come together as a group to make incredibly thoughtful grants in an effort to improve our community.   I also am inspired by the people who work at the agenices we fund and their dedication to the people they serve. And, of course, there are my colleagues, whose generosity of time and wisdom always amazes me.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
Figuring out how to best use my time. I work half-time and find it can be challenging to balance the adminsitrative part of my job with the activities that are more "big picture".

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
Our Women's Economic Stability Initiative with the YWCA of Metro St. Louis, where we work with 10 low income single mothers in attaining nontraditional vocational degress and careers, has been very exciting. The program development and implementation have been an incredible learning experiences for me. It has connected me to social work in a way that I often do not get to experience in day-to-day work at the Foundation. And it meant a great deal to me for Trio to receive the "Giving is Ongoing" award this year from GCG, especially as a past employee of the Center where I had the chance to learn about the work of so many outstanding grantmakers on a regular basis.

When I'm not working I'm....
With my son, Adam, and my husband, Neil, often at one of Adam's many sporting events!

Cynthia Curry Crim

Vice President
Commerce Bank

Years in philanthropy?  7.5 years

Years in the St. Louis region? 9 years

How did you get started in philanthropy?
My first job was with the Stearns Family Foundation in Chicago, IL as the Assistant Director.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Site visits, working with the grantees and learning more about their programs or projects-I see the major part of my job as being a relationship manager, developing relationships, coaching and gaining knowledge about what’s happening to children and families in our region.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
Staying abreast of what happenings in the nonprofit community/region so that our strategic direction and funding opportunities are relevant.

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
I have really enjoyed the College Access Pipeline project .

When I'm not working I'm....
Hanging out with the kids and the husband and enjoying my role as a volunteer on various boards and committees. 

Deborah J. Patterson   

President
Monsanto Fund           

Years in philanthropy? 12        

Years in the St. Louis region? Native St. Louisan

How did you get started in philanthropy?
I was recruited away from my position as Chief Executive Officer of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross. I met Monsanto leadership during the floods of 1993. The floods of 1993 were devastating to farmers in the Midwest.  Monsanto asked the St. Louis Chapter to develop a disaster relief program focused on rural communities. Monsanto and its competitors raised more than $5M for this effort. When the disaster was over, I requested from Monsanto’s CEO to have a Monsanto Executive to serve on the board of the Red Cross. He secured the Senior Vice President for Human Resources to serve on the board. She recruited me away from the Red Cross.

What is your favorite part about your job?
The best part of my job is that it enables me to be in service to others. While being in service to others I get to do things that I think I'm really good at e.g. communication, teaching, and program development. I use my communication skills to enroll our people and the community in the Monsanto Fund vision and goals. I love program development, working with corporate affairs staff around the world and their non-profit partners we've developed several "signature programs". Finally, I get a chance to use my teaching skills through providing technical assistance to prospective partners.              

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job? 
The biggest challenge I faced in my job was taking the Monsanto Fund global. For decades most of our grant making was headquarters focused while more and more of our people and our businesses were outside St. Louis.

It is a tough and continues to be a tough balancing act to do enough in the headquarters community to preserve your reputation as a good corporate citizen while trying to meet the demands of other communities within a budget that isn’t growing at the same pace as the demands.

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
The Monsanto Fund has just completed our new strategic plan. Our new mission is to strengthen farming communities and communities where our people live and work. This new platform places the Monsanto Fund in more alignment with who we are as a company.

Last April, we launched, America's Farmer's Grow Communities. The program gives farmers a chance to win an opportunity for us the Monsanto Fund to make a $2,500 donation to a local charity of their choice. Almost 50,000 farmers have signed up for the program. We have awarded 1,200 grants to local non-profits in farming communities.

With the success of America's Farmers Grow Communities we've started to work on a sequel-- America's Farmer's Grow Education which is a merit and needs based education program targeted to rural communities. It will pilot in April.

When I'm not working I'm....
I'm reading! I love mysteries, historical fiction, and books that are beautifully written. …books where I experience a range of emotions. I've grown in my love of the written word which has led me to re-read the classics.

James Finch

Managing Trustee
Pettus Foundation

Years in philanthropy?- 35 Years        

Years in the St. Louis region?- Since the 1970's when I returned from Vietnam

How did you get started in philanthropy?
When I was President and CEO of the Guaranty Trust Company of Missouri, one of my clients was James T. Pettus Jr. and I worked with him on foundation matters.  When I left the trust company to form my investment advisory firm, the Pettus accounts moved with me and on Mr. Pettus's death, I became managing Trustee.           

What is your favorite part about your job?         
The foundation has a tag line on all grants which says "Together we can make a difference."  That best describes the favorite part of my job, working with wonderful charities to make a difference in peoples lives.             

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?              
It is a challenge to determine which charitable organizations can best make good use of the limited dollars we have to distribute.  To make that job easier, we limited the scope of our grants but unfortunately we still have to decline worthwhile organizations.          

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
We strongly believe that for our area to be successful, the St. Louis Public Schools have to been strong.  Accordingly, we direct a large portion of our funds both directly and indirectly to helping the SLPS accomplish that goal.             

When I'm not working I'm....
As my friends know,  I am HAVING FUN whether I am working or playing.  Family, golf, scuba and sky diving, Mizzou sports, cooking and drinking fine wines from my cellar are just some of my interests.

JoAnn Hejna   

Executive Director
The Saigh Foundation  

Years in philanthropy? 11 years with the foundation, 44 years with Fred Saigh. Total 55 years!

Years in the St. Louis region? All of my life

How did you get started in philanthropy?
On my 24th birthday I was hired by Fred Saigh to chart his stocks and bonds and to handle his personal philanthrophy.  I learned a great deal about investments but I learned much more about philanthrophy.  Fred was very generous with community needs, hospital equipment, university scholarships, and special funds.  However, more than half of his giving was done anonymously for strangers who needed clothing, individual tuition, shoes, braces, medical bills to be paid.  All of this was done from the heart with no tax incentives.  He was a rare individual who gave much and expected nothing.

What is your favorite part about your job?     
Absolutely everything.  I am so happy to have the opportunity to continue Fred's legacy and serve the St. Louis community.  There is no way to describe a child's face when given new clothes, a hearing aid, a first-time camp experience, or disadvantaged youths learning they can have a scholarship to college, or a parent's joy for their preemie who lives because of new technology.  Giving is the greatest feeling in the world and making a difference is a wonderful reward.         

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job? 
It is hard to deny a grant because there is just a certain amount to go around.  All of our requests are from organizations doing fine work in the community, but we must prioritize to ensure maximum allocation where it is needed.  Hopefully, the economy will improve and we all will have more to distribute.   

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?    
All of our projects are exciting.  One that stands out, however, is Children's Hospital Pediatric Simulation Center. which is an invaluable learning tool for teaching staff and parents how to effectively care for an ill child.

When I'm not working I'm....
Spending time with my six sons, one daughter, their spouses, 19 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.  Almost all of them live in the area so we have many family activities.  My children grew up with Fred Saigh and they are very interested in the Foundation and I try to keep them updated on Foundation projects.

Debbie A. Schirmer

Community Affairs Manager
Maritz

Years in philanthropy? 23

Years in the St. Louis region? Lifelong

How did you get started in philanthropy? 
Twenty-three years ago, I was hired by the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications to help manage and administer Maritz’ philanthropic efforts and activities.  Through the years, my role has evolved with progressive responsibilities from managing charitable contributions to designing and executing a strategic community involvement approach that ensures the overall corporate giving program achieves maximum community impact and aligns with company values and business strategy.   

What is your favorite part about your job? 
My favorite part about my job is the opportunity to engage and collaborate with non-profits and discuss ways we can mutually work together for the greater good of our focused area of giving – for Maritz, that is philanthropic initiatives and partnerships with organizations offering programs designed to educate. 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your job? 
The biggest challenge I faced was two years ago when our company determined it was time to establish a philanthropic program that was better integrated with the company’s business strategy – essentially, narrowing the focus of our giving, which at that time spanned the gamut, to one that could  provide a meaningful impact on a key community issue; align with business needs and objectives; position Maritz to utilize all of its investment resources effectively; and encourage corporate-wide involvement.  A tall task; however, with the help a strategic planning team comprised of employee representatives from across the company, we were able to narrow the focus to education, thereby giving us the foundation to build upon. 

What is the most exciting project you’ve worked on in the past year? 
One of the outcomes of becoming more focused in our giving at Maritz was the realization for the need of a robust employee volunteer program.  In recent months, I have been researching best practices on employee community engagement and developing an approach best suited for Maritz, drawing from the strengths of its employees and skill sets.  I’m excited to see what the future holds for us and proud to play a role in this important initiative. 

When I’m Not working I’m …
When I’m not working, you’ll find me enjoying time with my family – two grown children - son Chad in San Francisco, and daughter Hope and her husband, James, who reside nearby.  I enjoy the arts, music in particular, and also like taking photos.  I direct chancel choirs for two churches with rehearsals two nights during the week plus worship services on Sunday.  

Sarah Kramer

Director of Community Relations
Peabody

Years in philanthropy? Seven       

Years in the St. Louis region? Ten

How did you get started in philanthropy?
I “fell into philanthropy” while working at Mallinckrodt / Tyco Healthcare, now Covidien. An opening occurred in the organization, and I was selected to take the helm. What a fortuitous gift! My passion for volunteering and non-profit committee work combined with my background in all endeavors of communications parlayed nicely into a career as a giving officer. After launching various programs at Covidien, I was moved to the East Coast to run their global philanthropy efforts. My heart belonged back in St. Louis, however. So I joined Pfizer’s St. Louis team and once again worked philanthropy at the St. Louis level. Now I’m at Peabody Energy, launching an entirely new Community Relations Department and managing their global outreach efforts.

What is your favorite part about your job?        
I absolutely LOVE bringing new ideas to the table and connecting people. My sweet spot is helping corporations to evolve their community relations efforts to more than just cutting a check … it’s about employee engagement, volunteerism, diversity initiatives, senior management endorsement, social responsibility, collaboration efforts … The check and the publicity should come after all these elements are in place. Working for Peabody Energy is such a blessing. This company is steadfastly committed not only to the St. Louis region, but to earning our “license to operate” in all the communities where we do business. Our goal is to power community prosperity through our philanthropic, volunteer and community relations activities.  

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
Finding a focus. Meaning, big companies get approached by innumerable organizations and by their own employees with all sorts of donation requests. Setting the parameters for funding is difficult, because we literally want to help as much as we possibly can. That being said, “fit” is important … we know that we can provide better, more sustainable support if we partner with those organizations that truly fit within our core focus areas. But getting to the point of establishing and sticking to these focus areas is quite challenging, especially for a global company.      

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
I’m working with various leaders at Peabody to put together community partnership programs for international sites where we are investigating the possibility of operations. This is a dream project, because our community relations efforts could literally help to “nation build” in some of these countries. I’m also currently in the beginning phases of rolling out an educational awards program that we piloted in St. Louis to our domestic operation communities.

When I'm not working I'm....
A new mother to a fabulous little boy, Hartman Wellesley, and an “old mother” to my dog, Flash. It’s pretty all-consuming, but after things settle down, I will continue to love volunteering, going to events, traveling, and building and promoting the Midtown Alley corridor with my husband, developer Jassen Johnson.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation and Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation

Years in philanthropy?:  19 Years

Years in the St. Louis region?:  All of my life except for a few years when I lived in the Washington, D.C. area.

How did you get started in philanthropy?  After graduating from college, I knew that I wanted to attend graduate school, but I couldn’t afford it.  So I got a job working in development for my school so that I could take advantage of the tuition benefits to go to graduate school.  I thought it would be a temporary stop, but it has turned into a career.

What is your favorite part about your job?:  I’ve always enjoyed being able to help people.  Sometimes it’s through a donation of bears, other times it’s through a grant or working with a colleague on an internal project.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?:  The sometimes overwhelming number of requests for assistance that the foundations receive.

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?:  When the earthquake hit Haiti last January, Build-A-Bear Workshop and its foundations immediately mobilized resources to donate 2,400 bears to help the children in the orphanages, and then initiated a nationwide point of sale donation program that raised more than $140,000 in a few weeks to help the Red Cross.  It was exciting to see various parts of our company working together for a common cause and being able to make a difference in a very short period of time.

When I'm not working I'm….:  Either reading or spending time with my family.

Melinda McAliney
Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis

Years in philanthropy? 19       

Years in the St. Louis region? 17

How did you get started in philanthropy?
My first job right out of graduate school was at United Way, working for Wray Clay and Kathy Gardner in what was then called the Allocations Department.  It was an excellent way to learn more about the St. Louis region and how to do philanthropy effectively and with compassion.  I still draw on my training and experiences there in my work today.                 

What is your favorite part about your job?        
I love to learn and look at the community at a macro level.  Working at a Foundation, I get to learn new things every day, especially about what area organizations and congregations are doing to strengthen our community and how their individual efforts affect the larger picture.  Learning about their hopes and dreams and ways in which Lutheran Foundation could partner with them is both exciting and humbling.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
I think it is always a challenge to decline a request.  Even if the ask isn't a good fit with the Foundation's interests or it is not clearly outlined, it is still someone's passion and good intentions.  Telling them we are not choosing to invest in this passion is always a hard message to give.  I always try to provide constructive feedback so that they may be more effective when approaching other funders.          

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?
I have been working on a redesign and community roll-out of one of our funding focus areas.  I've had to do lots of planning and organizing, which I love to do (some would call it a sickness, but I choose to look at it positively!).  It's been great to see all of the planning come together and a stronger focus area result which will hopefully have a stronger impact.    

When I'm not working I'm....
The mother of two young kids (3 and 5 years old) and a wonderful husband, all of who keep me very busy.  But I love (almost) every minute.  I fill up the few remaining minutes I have volunteering in the community and at my church.

Melanie DiLeo

Senior Vice President and Missouri State Director
Citi Community Development.

Years in philanthropy?  Fulltime Community since 2002. From 1985 to 2002- it was always a "piece of my job description but NOT fulltime!

Years in the St. Louis region?  I was relocated to St Louis in 1989

How did you get started in philanthropy?
When I first started at Citi, I oversaw all Marketing Events and Promotions for CitiMortgage on the East Coast (New York, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Rhodes Island AND was also asked to start the Citigroup Foundation in Connecticut. It was really the first time that we had Foundation Giving in Connecticut. My first Foundation grant was to an organization that had built its first center in US in Connecticut. They were being funded by personal donations and Citi gave them their first "corporate" gift to expand the idea around Connecticut. It was called Hospice.  When I moved to St Louis, I managed all of CitMortgage's Events and Promotions and Employee Recognition Program and Community.(just St Louis) .We build an incredible employee volunteer culture and started the Jeans Charities which today has given over $1.5 million to local nonprofits all from employees wearing jeans!

What is your favorite part about your job?           
As I 'm sure everyone says who has a job like mine says- it is the actual opportunity to make a difference. The opportunity to get involved in so many levels from our employee volunteer programs to the actual funding of programs and projects that are making a difference in the place where we live and work. Most of all it is the smiles that I see when life becomes better for a child in a program that we are involved in!           

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
There is never enough- funding, time, volunteer hours to do all the things that we would like to do! Change takes so long to happen.

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year? 
In the last year, there are several projects that I am involved in - each is "exciting not sure I could list just one

• Being part of the 24:1 Collaboration with Beyond Housing and Normandy Schools.
• CAP- being part of the workgroup and making community aware of College Access and the work with College Bound and College Summit
• MicroFinance:
  • a)  Working with Incarnate Word Foundation on the 1st MicroFinance St Louis Conference in March, 2011.
  • Justine Pedersen and Citi's partnership in developing an innovative solution, a program for customers wish to build/re-build credit by offering   co-branded  Banamex USA credit cards in conjunction with an integrated credit building action plan
• Asset Building Opportunities - the work around helping youth and adults understanding how to build financial assets- major program with United Way agencies on financial asset outcomes as they build stronger financial behaviors.

When I'm not working I....
Love to garden.. and of course finding treasures at the scholarship shop!

Lisa Dinga

Executive Director
Innovative Technology Education Fund 

Years in philanthropy?  26

Years in the St. Louis region?  51 (my whole life)

How did you get started in philanthropy?
Many years ago I suffered multiple miscarriages and received help by an organization called AMEND.  When I was doing better I wanted to give back and they suggested I become the VP of Development for their sister organization, The Life Seekers.  Although I had no idea what I was doing when I started, I quickly learned by spending many weeks down at the MAP library doing research etc.  After writing several grants and receiving funds, I was hooked.  It was so inspiring to be able to go into the neo-natal units of area hospitals and know those little ones were surviving in part because of the equipment our grants were providing.  I worked in this volunteer capacity for several years and then went back to school to receive my non-profit management degree.  After spending about 20 years on the development side of things, I moved to the grantmaking side with the Innovative Technology Education Fund in 2005. 

What is your favorite part about your job?           
Seeing the impact of the grants we make on the students we serve.  Our organization makes educational grants to area schools to enhance learning through technology.  Some of the schools receiving grants have little to no current technology and it is great to do a follow-up site visit and see the students so engaged in their learning.  A close second favorite is working for my board ... I couldn't ask for a more dedicated and supportive group of people.  They are all wonderful.           

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your job?
So much need and not enough funds - I think a common challenge with many of the grantmakers I know.  Knowing you are limited in what you can fund and doing the research to make sure the grants you give will have the greatest impact is a challenge and a joy.

What is the most exciting project you've worked on in the past year?           
Rolling out wi-max in the greater St. Louis area.  The Innovative Technology Education Fund is an FCC license holder of spectrum that is being used to roll out the new 4g wi-max system.  As part of that roll out we have been able to work with two schools (one private and one public) by providing them much needed equipment and access to the 4g system.  One school is using their system for day-to-day learning, but additionally has the mobile system so they can take their netbooks for fieldtrips, do on-site experiments with wireless probes, and Skype with professors from Mizzou all while on the fieldtrip.  It is fascinating to see this new technology become a reality.

When I'm not working I'm....
Enjoying spending time with my family.  My hubby of 32 years, John, and I have 3 children (Jenny, Jordan and John) and now also have been blessed with granddaughters (Katie and Claire).  I am a very lucky woman to have such a wonderful family and to also be able to work in such a generous, philanthropic community!