Our Next National Philanthropy Partner Needs No Introduction

Transwestern has selected Make-A-Wish, an organization dedicated to creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, as its national philanthropic partner for the second time. Kim Croley, Executive Vice President, National Marketing and Communications at Transwestern, led the extensive search for our new partner, which ultimately brought us back to Make-A-Wish. She discusses the value of philanthropy and how we can best support Make-A-Wish throughout our three-year partnership, which kicked off this month.

Why does Transwestern hold so much value in philanthropy?

Stewardship is among Transwestern’s guiding principles, and as a responsible corporate citizen, we have an obligation to give back to the communities in which we live and conduct business. From coast to coast, Transwestern offices have long supported local nonprofit organizations, whether it’s through gifts of time or money.

Transwestern’s purpose statement – Empowering good people to do extraordinary things together – and our ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility reflect our shared dedication to one another, as well as our communities. We find that philanthropy unites team members across service lines and geographies, and encourages relationship building between team members, business partners and the community. Even during the height of the pandemic, when we were facing countless new challenges, the Transwestern team pulled together to fulfill its commitment to our prior philanthropy partner, Ronald McDonald House Charities. That says a lot about our collective dedication to our communities.

In addition to supporting our national philanthropy partner, Transwestern team members receive paid time off each year to participate in local community service activities. I encourage you to use this time to support causes that mirror your personal values and passions.

Why did we renew our partnership with Make-A-Wish?

In selecting a national partner, it was important that its mission and values align with our own. When we solicited recommendations for Transwestern’s next corporate philanthropy partner, an overwhelming number of team members were compelled by Make-A-Wish’s impact on their local communities. Your commitment and passion for Make-A-Wish inspired us to reignite our partnership.

From 2016 to 2019, we raised more than $550,000 for Make-A-Wish, granting 52 wishes across the country. Creativity and fundraising at the national and local levels kept our commitment top of mind, and our team members gave of their time and resources generously. Every one of our markets played a role in our success. I challenge our team to grant even more wishes this time around.

I would also like to take a moment to recognize Bruce Ford, East Region President, and Chip Clarke, West Region President. Bruce serves as the Board Chair for Make-A-Wish Georgia, and is actively involved in his local chapter, most recently rappelling 22 stories down an Atlanta hotel to raise funds for Georgia families. Chip was a driving force behind our relationship with Make-A-Wish, which inspired our first national partnership with the nonprofit. Both are true examples of what it means to lead by example, and I look forward to seeing fellow team members embrace philanthropy just as they have.

Great! What can we do to help?

We incorporated Make-A-Wish’s Employee Giving program into our new partnership, offering team members an opportunity to donate an ongoing or one-time gift through payroll deduction. This is completely voluntary. If you would like to donate, please complete Make-A-Wish’s Giving Back Campaign Pledge. For questions, please contact Marilee Beck in HR.

We’ve also hit the ground running with our first national fundraiser, the March Madness tournament. In the past, our teams have employed out-of-the-box fundraising tactics, ranging from food trucks at Transwestern-managed properties to local fundraisers involving flocks of flamingos, Mother’s Day plants, yoga classes and more. In addition to onsite activities at Transwestern-managed properties, we are also planning events with clients, partners and friends of the firm, as well as the return of the ever-popular Blue Friday.

Fresh ideas are always welcome! After all, creativity is among Transwestern’s greatest strengths. Each market has a designated team captain who will oversee local fundraising initiatives. If you have event or campaign ideas you’d like to share, please reach out to me or one of our local MAW representatives:

Atlanta: Kristine Maggio
Austin: Marlena Serrano
Bay Area: Stephanie Stephen & Caitlin McCarthy
Chicago: Bonnie Boden
Dallas: Candice Gibson
Denver: Katie Haugh
Detroit: Joani Collins
Houston: Amanda Best
Los Angeles: Lysa Horan
Mid-Atlantic: Deidre Proffitt
Minneapolis: Macey Hines
New York: Stephanie Pagan
Phoenix: Heather Rindo
San Antonio: Yesenia Marili
South Florida: Kat Jubuisson