Leadership Redefined

Dave Bartlett of Cedarville University wrote a short article recently on the Legacy of Leadership. In reading his article, I thought about the similarities between his experience with Cedarville and what I've seen here at Avera Health.

Leadership takes many forms and while we normally think of leaders as being visible and vocal, it is also possible to lead quietly by example.

The Leaders Program of the Avera Health foundation is a group of dedicated, forward-thinking leaders. The Leaders Program membership is comprised of a group of visionaries who have chosen to honor the Avera Health Foundation as the beneficiary of a deferred giving arrangement. These visionaries have quietly secured a portion of the future of health care.

These deferred gifts, many in the form of an insurance contract, are an irrevocable gift to the Avera Health Foundation. In some cases, the donor has identified a specific region or Avera facility they wish to receive the future endowment distributions, while others have made the beneficiary the Avera Health Foundation so endowment proceeds can be used at a point of need within the Avera Health network.

These leadership gifts have also come to us in the form of an annuity. These Leaders have made a gift in exchange for the benefits of an immediate income tax deduction, a lifetime income stream for self and spouse, and the avoidance of capital gains taxes. If the gift is made with appreciated assets, the cost of making the gift will be less than if the donor uses cash. In utilizing a deferred giving arrangement, the donor can create a significant income stream from highly appreciated but under-utilized assets such as real property or growth stocks that pay little or no dividend. These annuities allow you to give assets but retain a defined income for your lifetime.

The Avera Health Foundation will eventually receive the annuity principal or the face value of the insurance product with which to grow the endowment to meet an ever-expanding health and wellness need.

You can do much to shape our tomorrow and assure yourself a place among our Leaders Program who can truly say "I was here; I made a difference."

We invite you to contact Jerry Soholt or Dan Cook for more information about this exciting leadership opportunity (605-322-4750).

The following list is our current Leaders Program members. To each we say "thank you" for your vision for the future and for your generosity.