“We respond when we see a need or an opportunity.”
The Harts are creating a lasting legacy for causes they care about, ensuring their successes and impact continue well beyond their lifetimes. This is especially meaningful because the difference they’ve made during their lifetimes is significant.
Lois received degrees from the University of Rochester, Syracuse University, and her doctorate in leadership development from the University of Massachusetts. Over 40 years, she has written more than 20 books focused on topics including leadership, conflict management, facilitation, and training methodology to help improve organizational effectiveness. “I believe my purpose is to be a conduit; to share my knowledge for the benefit of others,” says Lois.
Arn went to Cornell, where he was captain of his sailing team. He joined the advanced Air Force ROTC and served eight years in the Air Force, ending his career in the armed forces as a radar navigator bombardier flying two years of combat missions over Vietnam. Arn and Lois met once he returned to Syracuse, New York, where he got his master’s degree.
Arn built a successful career in investment banking and taught investments at CU Boulder for 14 years. “We’re both very venturesome and open to trying new things,” says Lois. Over the following decades, the Harts raised two children and lived in Massachusetts, Michigan, Colorado, Arizona, and Montana, spending much time exploring the American west.
The Harts are no strangers to philanthropy, including—specifically—community foundations. When first living in Colorado, the Harts had investment earnings that, unless given charitably, would go to the government, explains Arn. “That was the impetus for us specifically seeking services from a community foundation.” The Community Foundation of Boulder County became a recipient of these earnings to support missions near and dear to the Harts.
Arn and Lois Hart at home.
“The Community Foundation has a big role to play to help people have a sense of meaning, purpose, and pride,” says Arn. “Of being part of something bigger than yourself.”
Lois and Arn left Colorado and spent more than a decade in small-town Montana. There, the Harts worked with a dedicated group to form a community foundation to serve their corner of the state. When asked why they decided to get involved, Arn responds, “It was something that needed doing. It gave us something that was a worthy goal with good people.” “We understood the purpose [of a community foundation] and had seen how they can positively impact a community,” adds Lois. While in Montana, Lois began volunteering her professional consulting services for leaders of a variety of nonprofits.
Fast-forward to today, the Harts are again well-established in Colorado. Their beautiful home, affectionately dubbed “Hart Haven,” sits in a newer development near Berthoud. Friends and Lois’ clients enjoy their botanical garden, spectacular views, and nesting eagles and eaglets in the cottonwood trees near their property.
Consistent community contributors, the Harts established a significant legacy gift at the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. At the end of their lifetimes, a portion of their estate, including Hart Haven, will be donated to their fund at the Community Foundation to benefit specific interest areas for years to come.
What do the Harts hope to accomplish through their legacy gift? “My goal is to keep Northern Colorado the premier place to live,” shares Arn. “I want to make sure we can keep this place a special place, by keeping our community a loving, giving community so we can take care of needs before they arise.” “And you are the core organization to make that happen,” adds Lois.
“The Community Foundation has a big role to play to help people have a sense of meaning, purpose, and pride,” says Arn. “Of being part of something bigger than yourself.”
We are glad to be a part of the Harts’ story, today and for infinite tomorrows.
