Introducing the Lawyers & Leaders Class of 2021

While those of us conducting our meetings over Zoom the past year may have struggled with background noise and technical difficulties, we knew the stakes of our calls were not all that high. However, leaders in the legal community have been meeting with clients, attending hearings and holding court through the eye of a webcam throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their perseverance toward justice is unwavering, and the dogged determination that saw them through law school saw them through the pandemic as well.

West Virginia’s $30 Billion Opportunity

West Virginia is on the cusp of a historic transfer of wealth that could revolutionize communities through thoughtful stewardship and organized philanthropy to drive economic development, entrepreneurship, education, arts and culture and strengthen quality of life for all.

Breaking Ground, Breaking the Mold

Perseverance and grit are hallmarks of the Mountaineer spirit. While Daniel Pearlson and Mark Ryan are Mountaineers by choice—not by birth—they have demonstrated enduring perseverance and grit in their commitment to West Virginia over the last five years. Their investments in the Mountain State span industries, from entrepreneurship, manufacturing and job creation to education, philanthropy and community building.

Primed for Growth

West Virginia is primed for growth, and if you ask the creative and barrier-breaking development teams in the state’s Northern Panhandle, there is no better time to come experience the richness of life that Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Tyler and Wetzel counties have to offer. The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is in the rearview mirror, and the time off was well-spent learning to gain an edge in business, tourism and quality of life.

Top 10 Grantmaking Foundations

According to Giving USA’s annual report, foundations across the U.S. increased their giving by 2.5% in 2019, a percentage that had grown nine out of the last 10 years at the time of the report. Many of these foundations disperse donated funds through a discretionary grantmaking process.

Building a Better Board: A Q&A with Anne Wallestad

A foundation of any kind is only as strong as the leadership behind it. According to Anne Wallestad, president and CEO of BoardSource, a globally recognized nonprofit focused on strengthening nonprofit leadership at the highest level, building a diverse, dynamic board of directors is one of the best ways to create overall organizational success. Here, Wallestad helps define what makes a strong, engaged board for foundations of every size and focus.