The TFAS Legacy Society surpassed 100 members this year. This distinguished society recognizes generous supporters who have included TFAS in their estate plans, ensuring strong and influential TFAS programs for many years to come. In celebration of this milestone, we spoke with our 100th member Doug Todd to talk about the lasting impact of his commitment and why planned giving with TFAS makes a difference.
After making sure my family will be financially secure, I want to make use of good estate planning to include fine organizations such as The Fund for American Studies. If you believe in an organization and its mission, planned giving is a great way to support its mission, philosophy and beliefs making sure it continues in perpetuity and is managed well going forward. TFAS is a great legacy opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on young people. I want to help that legacy continue.” – Doug Todd, TFAS Legacy Society 100th Member
Doug Todd first became involved with TFAS more than 20 years ago when his company began hosting interns from our Business + Government Relations program and later became sponsors of our annual Scholarship Awards Dinner. Todd, a retired government affairs director for Siemens Corp., said he was so impressed with both the TFAS students and its programs that he became a supporter himself.
“It’s a wonderful program for the interns and philosophically fit into my way of thinking,” he said. “I appreciate that the courses teach students about the importance of freedom, private enterprise and capitalism.”
Over the last 20 years, Todd said he has witnessed the growth of TFAS into a vast range of issues including business, government affairs, journalism and law, and he thinks the mission is even more important today than when he first became involved.
“It’s a different world these days. I was in the Government Affairs business for over 40 years, and the partisanship and bitterness that we see today is very frustrating,” Todd said. “Times have changed and I hope organizations like TFAS can teach students about the legislative art of compromise and the other side of issues that very often get drowned out. You always need to teach and hear both sides of an issue, and TFAS is very good at doing that.”
Todd said it was the combination of outstanding programming, an aligned philosophy and the organization’s solid footing that motivated him to take his support further by adding TFAS to his estate plan.
“TFAS has a distinguished Board of Trustees, very smart people involved in its administration, and the academic curriculum and staff are terrific. These are the kind of things that help perpetuate all the outstanding work they do. I was always happy to make an annual personal contribution, but I am also pleased to be able to leave a legacy gift putting TFAS in my will to help make sure that the organization’s great work continues long after I’m gone.”
We invite you to join the TFAS Legacy Society and become a member of this distinguished group that is setting an example for others. Becoming a member is easy: Just let us know TFAS is part of your estate plan by contacting Ed Turner at 202-986-0384 or eturner@TFAS.org. Visit TFAS.org/Legacy to learn more.