As senior vice president of wealth management for the Honaker Hayes Wealth Management Group of UBS Financial Services, Randy is not only helping his clients build their own financial futures he’s also finding ways for them to give back to their community and the causes they care about. It’s a sentiment he and his wife, Candice, live by through their service to the community and their church, as well as through charitable contributions from their Dayton Foundation Charitable Checking AccountSM and endowment fund to nonprofit organizations.
Q: What inspires you about the Greater Dayton community?
A: One word: ingenuity. The airplane, electric starter, cash register and pop-top beverage can all were invented by Daytonians. Joseph Desch invented the electronic calculator and developed a deciphering device that broke the German Enigma code during World War II. This later became the first modern digital computer. We were the Silicon Valley of the 1900s. I'd love to see us recapture some of the innovation of our past and carry it into the future.
Q: What drives you to give both your time and dollars to charity?
A: My dad died when I was in high school. We lived on social security; I was the oldest of six children. In spite of our horrible economic condition, I watched my mother write checks to our church and other charities. Her example of giving to help others less fortunate still lives with me today. This also is a lesson we've tried to pass on to our children.
Q: What causes or nonprofit organizations are you most passionate about and why?
A: I am a devout Evangelical Christian. I believe how I manage my finances is correlated to recognizing that God owns it all, and I'm his steward. I also volunteer my service in several ways. I belong to Dayton Rotary because they do a lot for the community. I'm most passionate about Miami Valley Women's Center, Living Word Church and Dayton Christian Schools.
Another organization near and dear to my heart is Dayton Urban Young Life, which I became involved with after seeing and hearing about what is going on in the inner city of Dayton. It broke my heart to hear some of the stories, so I prayed about it. I met other people, including Sheriff Phil Plummer, who is gravely concerned about the gang activity happening in areas of Dayton, Kris Horlacher, founder of Shoes for the Shoeless, and Judge Walter Rice, who also wanted to get involved. I’m happy to say that in less than two years, Dayton Urban Young Life has grown to include 200 teens coming to small groups. Bishop Mark McGuire of Potter House oversees the work.
Jesus said love your neighbor. Urban teens are my neighbors; the definition of love is unconditional giving. The work that is happening through Dayton Urban Young Life embodies this sentiment.
Q: Why is helping others so important to you?
A: It's what I am called to do. I recognize that riches and honor come from God and he owns it all. That creates an eternal perspective. This created a compassion in me for the less fortunate, especially teens. Young men often need a male influence in their lives. When no one is there to fill that void, teens may end up joining a gang. I want to do whatever I can to give teens good alternatives. Dayton Urban Young Life has changed numerous lives, and several teens have left the gang lifestyle. To be even a small part of changing these lives makes you feel phenomenal. These teens feel like they finally have people in their lives who care about them.
Q: How does The Dayton Foundation help you help others?
A: Any time a client is open to giving back to the Dayton community, my first words are "The Dayton Foundation." It's a great organization. Working in the financial services business, I encourage any clients to give back to the community. We should love our children equally but it's okay to treat them uniquely. For unique situations regarding our heirs and helping the community at the same time, we should never pass wealth on to the next generation without the wisdom to accompany it.
Q: What advice can you share about giving to the community?
A: No one has ever seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. Yet only eight percent of wills contain giving. We can't take it with us, but we can pay it forward. We should ask ourselves how much is enough? Pray and ask God what he wants you to do. Focus on what you are passionate about and develop a plan on how to help those organizations. Have a joint meeting with your financial advisor, accountant, attorney and The Dayton Foundation. There are many ways to maintain your lifestyle, pass money onto your heirs and reduce numerous taxes. It requires time and planning, but it's possible if you make a decision to finish life strong.
Q: How would you complete this sentence, “My giving makes me feel____”?
A: … content. Dr. David Jeremiah said that "contentment is looking back without regret, looking at the present without envy and looking at the future without fear." At the end of my life, I'd like to finish strong and be content.
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