Making Connections: Featuring 4 United Way NEXT members
United Way NEXT is proud to connect current and former United Way professionals throughout a rich community of diverse members. In this installment of Making Connections, friends and former colleagues will get to read the stories and reflections from Regina Manning, Kim Scheeler, Kitty Hsu Dana, and Beni Westgor.
Regina Manning
Member Segment: United Way Retiree
My name is Regina Manning, and my "baby boomer" life started out in Huntley, Illinois, a tiny farming community 50 miles northwest of Chicago. Huntley was so small that, like the famous TV song, it was a place "where everybody knows your name." Both sides of my family were original settlers of the community so I enjoy continuing my family's tradition of piecing together and supporting local history. Even though I had a happy and carefree childhood, I credit the spinet piano in the corner of our living room for putting me in touch with my heart and soul...the joy of making music. Of course my three siblings would screech at me in unison... "Can't you stop?!?" But somehow we managed to live out our lives together with one TV and one piano in the living room, and one car in the garage.
Everyone reading this, I'm sure, can relate to what it feels like to discover their own piece of “heaven on earth,” and mine was a piano keyboard. After graduating with 48 classmates, I went out into the “big world" and started a job at the bank a block away. Several nights a week, I borrowed the car and attended classes at an out-of-town community college. After saving some money, I moved from my “small dot on the map” to a bigger dot, Normal, Illinois, and attended Illinois State University. I wanted to help people so I studied music therapy as well as piano performance. However, I came to realize that sitting down at a Steinway concert grand piano on a light-filled stage was not as “heavenly” as it was at that piano in my living room. My most memorable recital was the one where I played Chopin's E Major Etude, Opus 10, No. 3, and believe me, the middle section is as treacherous as a slippery mountain without a lifeline. Somehow I finished the piece without missing a beat or playing a sour note, but when I walked off stage, my piano teacher (an Artist in Residence who had performed for JFK in the White House) took me by complete surprise. "Where was your passion!" he growled... "You played too carefully!" he said in disgust. I knew what he meant. And even though he obtained a music scholarship for me, that day was a turning point for me. I was satisfied to have finished the piece in “one piece," but I hadn’t given what I could have given to the piece or the audience… I eventually ended up back at a bank and then spent 20-some years in Chicago and its suburbs as an advertising buyer and manager. There were difficult years that involved unimaginable and heart-breaking challenges... Again, everyone reading this can probably relate to unexpected life changes, when Raindrops Keep Fallin' on Your Head...
After a 3rd buyout of my company, United Marketing Group, the merchandise enterprise was shut down after the holidays and many of us were shown the door. So, 2017 started off in tears. By then I was back in my hometown because my Dad had died and my Mom needed help. However, that small dot on the map was now a boomtown! A large Del Webb development occupied expanses of former farm fields as did numerous family subdivisions; I didn't know anyone in the stores or at church. People I had worked with for over a decade weren't part of my daily life or lunchtime walks, I had Parent Plus loans, an unemployment income, and my car was totaled while I was obeying a red light. One day, I received a phone call from someone named "Carole Peters." She had recently been hired as the CEO and President of our local United Way in McHenry County and was considering offering an internship to someone from the county's unemployment office. My name had been shared with Carole as someone who might be interested. During that first conversation, Carole and I realized that we knew several people in common, and I could not believe how easy she was to talk to. It wasn't long until Carole and I were tackling Andar together, learning how to book donations, fundraisers, and sponsorships, making calculated and critical projections, tracking designated funds for other United Ways, producing financial reports and thank-you letters, and everything in between. It was hard work but we hardly skipped a beat, we exceeded our goals, and we loved helping people in our area. Carole and I also learned that we had each worked at the same bank -- just at different times. And Carole loves music, too!
After Carole retired and moved, Covid and an autoimmune disorder eventually forced me into early retirement. When Carole called me a year ago about possibly being a mentor -- it was music to my ears! Yes, I would love to help! I have been a UW NEXT member and mentor for a year and I am enjoying getting to know all of you through social events and learning sessions, as well as our newsletter and your social media posts. I was especially surprised to find out that recent board member, Susan Dunn, grew up in a small town near my hometown and emeritus board member, Dick Aft, had a musical career that started in northern Illinois. Thanks to Carole, the Team, and all of you, I have a song in my heart again.
Here's to a great 35th anniversary year... Cheers!
Kim Scheeler
Member Segment: United Way Retiree
My United Way journey began in December of 1982. I was graduating with a business degree and lived in northeast Indiana. In addition to the national economy being in a depression, our local economy was in tatters as the largest employer was closing their factory. Jobs were scarce, to say the least! After a lot of searching and many resumes being sent out, I saw a job for a Campaign Associate at our local UW. My only experience with UW was being forced to give $1 a week at my part-time supermarket job, but I figured it would be a good way to make some connections and get a “real job”. So, I applied and got the job.
Little did I know what a great experience it would be. After a few months, I realized that all my friends were pigeonholed in jobs where they did the same thing, day after day. As I looked at my job, I saw that I was able to use a lot of the skills I had gained in my education. I also managed to transform from someone who would do anything to avoid public speaking—to someone who enjoyed speaking to and motivating groups. And those connections I had hoped to make? Well, they showed up in spades and I found myself getting advice from the CEOs of the companies in our town. One of the most fun experiences was meeting with my former supermarket boss and explaining to him that 100% participation was not the goal and we should instead educate the employees and let them make a decision based on their desire to help.
After a NAV course at United Way of America, I learned I could activate my file and be considered for jobs around the country. I ended up in Houston working with 15 of the major companies (think Exxon, Shell, Pennzoil, Houston Power and Light, etc.) and continuing to enjoy the “education” I was getting. After 4 years and 4 promotions in Houston, I got the opportunity to move to Baltimore as Campaign Director. While the Baltimore UW was quite different from the Houston UW, it continued to be fun and exciting. The economy was tough as we lost some major employers like Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding that had been long time supporters. But we were able to continue to grow our community giving and through some good strategic planning work, build a stronger and more vibrant organization. After 6 years in Baltimore, I got the opportunity to move to Tampa as the CEO of the Hillsborough County United Way. The day we left for Tampa, Baltimore had an ice storm and my wife and I both applauded our decision to head south!
Tampa was one of those United Ways that was nicely positioned to grow and make a huge difference in our community. This was in 1995, and they had been struggling to break $11 million for a few years. It was also at a time when Donor Choice was exploding around the system. I had an issue with wide open choice as I felt that it was discounting our key strength which was the ability to strategically put donors’ dollars to work to make the greatest impact in our community. We built some strategies to strengthen our messaging about our allocation process and minimize our donor designations. We were even able to recruit a donor who was willing to pledge up to $1 million to match donations that met the following criteria: a first-time gift of $1k, an increase of 15% or more if you were already giving $1k or more and your gift had to be undesignated. It made a huge difference in our campaign which exploded. Our million-dollar donor was so pleased they made a commitment to do the same matching program for the next four years for a total of $5 million. By our 2000 campaign, we were at $16.4 million, and our designations had decreased to a fraction of the national average.
My direct United Way story came to an end in 2001 when we were exploring the merger of the Hillsborough County and Pinellas County organizations. In order to avoid the perception that we were taking over the other organization it was apparent that we needed to do a search for a new CEO to run the merged organization. At the same time, I was offered the opportunity to move over to the Chamber of Commerce to replace their CEO. As the head of the Chamber in Tampa and then in Richmond, Virginia, I spent the next 18 years working with our United Ways to drive positive change in our community.
When I retired from the Richmond Chamber in 2020, I was approached about joining the United Way Retirees Association group. At first, I was not very engaged but thanks to long-time UW friend Brian Hassett, who encouraged me to get more connected, I learned that the group had rebranded and was renamed United Way NEXT. After meeting Carole Peters, I got involved right away in the Marketing Committee. Later I was invited to serve as UW CEO Mentor which has been interesting and inspiring too. I’m looking forward to more interaction and helping UW NEXT figure out how to take advantage of the abundant knowledge and experience in our membership. I feel fortunate that I was able to enjoy a career of making a difference out of a job that I thought would be a temporary stepping stone to a “real job”!
Kitty Hsu Dana
Member Segment: United Way Retiree
My tenure with United Way was a bright light in a career of building and scaling sustainable change to improve health and wellbeing. I joined United Way Worldwide in 2010 just as Impact and Mobilization were launching across the network. As Vice President of Health in Community Impact, I relished the opportunity to bring my knowledge, experience, and contacts to build the first nationwide portfolio in Health for United Way. And I was deeply gratified to position United Way as a must-have partner in Health. National, state and regional thought leaders in Health saw the power of partnering with United Ways for grounded, systemic change to improve lives. I loved serving local United Way leaders and drew inspiration and insights from their courage, brilliance and love of community.
A decade after leaving UWW, I am even more struck by the network's importance in our polarized society. United Ways play a vital role to connect across divides--as a trusted convener, partner, and beacon of care. Following deep conversation with State United Way leaders, Pete Manzo’s recent post on LinkedIn underscored that across geography, class, race, and political differences, people want to work together to better lives.
United Way NEXT is a connector of connectors--engaging alums, retirees, and current staff across the United Way network in purpose and belonging. We enjoy events to learn and to share, reconnect with old friends and meet new friends (try pro bono consulting), and have access to a "glide path" to contribute to the movement. We are fortunate to have the splendid Carole Peters anchor this vibrant, wise, and welcoming network of peers. Holding our values dear, UW NEXT helps us stay connected with the United Way network--a balm in these turbulent times.
Beni Westgor
Member Segment: United Way Staff
My United Way experience began with chance via recruitment in a yoga studio. I had been with another nonprofit for nearly ten years and became a certified yoga teacher during that time. Before teaching a class, a fellow Rotarian and yoga student approached me, looked at me with a gleam in her eye and simply asked ‘How happy are you at work?’ I didn’t have to think twice to answer ‘not!’ She shared a Resource Development role at United Way Fox Cities and after applying and interviews, I started in January of 2018. It was four years of building and enhancing relationships in the community, growing revenue, championing ALICE and navigating abrupt shifts to remote fundraising during the pandemic. I met Carole at a conference early in my role, when she was still the ED at a UW in Illinois, and we kept in touch. As my personal life drew me to Minnesota, I luckily found a role as a Business Relationship Officer at Greater Twin Cities United Way in January of 2022. My joys have been relationship building on a new level in such a large metro and working with UWMN state association to bring ALICE to Minnesota.
The thing is, waking up with random wonder to the ‘mid-career’ point in one’s life can be as shocking as noticing a first forehead wrinkle or seeing a first grey hair. How did I get here? Where might I want to be? Building a network that offers support and growth while also understanding the unique aspects of the United Way nuances is priceless. UW Next has provided just that. Working with Carole, joining Next Chapter Chats, and reconnecting with familiar faces has been as invaluable and reinforced a sense of belonging. It’s a truly reassuring resource; the professional equivalent of finding that priceless anti-wrinkle serum and a great shade of hair color.
We hope you've enjoyed reading about your fellow United Way NEXT members! If you'd like to connect with them individually, we encourage you to join our LinkedIn and Facebook groups 💙
PS. If you're interested in sharing your own story in the NEXT installment of our Making Connections series, please email Ivy Cirillo!