Why the United Way? It started out with one of the bank's directors asking me to chair a division of an annual campaign-an offer I could not refuse. My experience was that we were actually "friend raising" not fund raising and if you had friends the funds would follow if you could present the need. It was not about an annual campaign but a long term effort to build friends and therefore a capacity to meet needs both now and in the future. We were trying to tell the United Way story and the community need story to raise friends but we began to raise some money for that and future annual campaigns. I learned things about the community I might never have known-not just about the needs of people and the work that agencies were doing-although that was always a significant part of the experience-but also about what is possible when a community comes together and focuses on solving the issues before it. To contribute to that growth of the community was reason enough to be involved and to stay involved eventually working in various Board roles to help staff and volunteers to achieve the best result we could in meeting needs and in recognizing those who made it happen.
From my perspective, the United Way has always been in the role of helping the community help itself. It offers a means for those who want to help to apply their time and talent-and, yes, sometimes their monetary gifts-in a very efficient and effective way. I know it works and I know when the place I call home is working to lift those most in need, all of us will be better off.
I have two sons, six grandchildren, five rescued family members: two dogs and three cats. I'm married to Carol Ryan who, before retirement, worked in banking and for an international not for profit focused on family and reproductive health issues. This led to our travel and work in Turkey, Thailand, Cambodia, The Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Bolivia, and Russia. We share most interests above and Carol would add running now mostly 5k's but several marathons and a triathlon in the past. A lot of running for Carol, means I'm doing a lot of bike riding to keep her company.