ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION, MATTHEW RANDAZZO.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: MATTHEW, WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

RANDAZZO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

KELLAR: THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.

I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

THIS IS SHOWCASE.

AND THIS IS THE NEW HEAD OF THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION.

AND YOU'RE HERE.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?

RANDAZZO: GOSH, ABOUT SIX AND A HALF MONTHS.

KELLAR: SO, YOU'RE NOT NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW.

RANDAZZO: I'M GOING TO CLAIM NEWBIE STATUS AT LEAST FOR A YEAR, BUT YES, RELATIVELY NEW.

THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WE'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE MORE MONTHS AND THEN WE DON'T FORGIVE YOU.

RANDAZZO: I LOVE THAT.

KELLAR: WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE.

RANDAZZO: WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

YOU KNOW, I GREW UP PROFESSIONALLY IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR, REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW NONPROFITS, PARTICULARLY EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS, CAN HELP CREATE OPPORTUNITY AND LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY.

THAT'S MY STORY.

I GREW UP ON THE WEST SIDE OF DETROIT, IN A HOUSEHOLD WITH ALMOST EVERY ILL OF POVERTY.

AND I WAS SO FORTUNATE, BARBARA, OVER THE COURSE OF MY YOUNG LIFE, TO HAVE THESE COACHES, THESE TEACHERS, THESE MENTORS INTERVENE AND HELP SET ME ON THE PATH TO BE IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOU TODAY.

AND SO THAT FUELS MY PASSION, AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE SPENT MY FULL PROFESSIONAL CAREER THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE THAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY KIDDO IN OUR COMMUNITY?

KELLAR: WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?

RANDAZZO: SO, I WENT TO A LITTLE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE IN MICHIGAN CALLED ALBION COLLEGE.

AND IT WAS AT ALBION THAT I MET THIS AMAZING HISTORY PROFESSOR, HER NAME IS DEBORAH CANTOR, WHO DECIDED THAT SHE WAS GOING TO SPONSOR ME AND TAKE ME UNDER HER WING.

SO WHEN THE FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE CAME IN LIGHT, DEBORAH MARCHED WITH ME TO THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE AND HELPED ME ADVOCATE FOR MORE ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING MY PARENTS KNEW HOW TO DO.

THEY HAD NEVER NAVIGATED THAT SYSTEM.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

RANDAZZO: AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY.

SO I SPENT FOUR YEARS AT ALBION.

I STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND THEN I HAD A CONCENTRATION IN THE GERALD FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND SO I KNEW EARLY ON I WANTED TO GIVE BACK, SO TO SPEAK.

AND IT WAS JUST A REMARKABLE, REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITY, OPENED MY EYES AND HORIZONS IN JUST AMAZING WAYS.

KELLAR: YEAH, SO FROM THEN ON, YOU WENT UPWARD.

RANDAZZO: I DID, YEAH.

I EVENTUALLY MADE MY WAY TO TEXAS, WHERE I SPENT A HUGE PART OF MY CAREER.

I ATTENDED THE LBJ SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND STUDIED PUBLIC POLICY.

AND I LIVED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS, FROM EL PASO TO MCALLEN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ON THE US-MEXICO BORDER.

I LIVED IN AUSTIN BEFORE EVENTUALLY MAKING MY WAY TO DALLAS, WHERE I SPENT MY LAST 12 YEARS.

KELLAR: SO, WHAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT YOU TO CINCINNATI?

RANDAZZO: SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, I LED THE DALLAS FOUNDATION, WHICH WAS TEXAS'S FIRST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

IT WAS ABOUT 89, 90 YEARS OLD WHEN I GOT THERE, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, I WAS AT SECOND CEO IN ITS 89TH YEAR.

KELLAR: HOW'S THAT POSSIBLE?

RANDAZZO: VOLUNTEER LED FOR ABOUT 50 PLUS YEARS, AND THEN MY PREDECESSOR WAS IN HER SEAT FOR ABOUT 35.

KELLAR: SO 50 BEFORE YOU, THEY GOT A -- RANDAZZO: BEFORE THEY GOT THEIR FIRST FULL TIME STAFF, YEAH.

AND IT WAS A REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITY.

DALLAS WAS A TOWN THAT WAS GREAT FOR MY CAREER AND FOR MY WIFE'S CAREER.

BUT TWO THINGS HAPPENED.

ONE, DALLAS OUTGREW US, TO BE FRANK, RIGHT?

EVERY COMMUNITY WANTS TO GROW AND THEY WANT TO ATTRACT JOBS.

AND DALLAS, WHILE WE WERE THERE, ECLIPSED HOUSTON TO BECOME THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

AND IT'S ON TRACK TO BECOME LARGER THAN CHICAGOLAND, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE.

KELLAR: REALLY?

WOW.

RANDAZZO: SO THE CITY BECAME REALLY BIG AND FRANKLY, FROM A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE AND A VALUES PERSPECTIVE, MY WIFE AND I WANTED TO FIND A COMMUNITY TO RAISE OUR EIGHT AND A HALF YEAR OLD SON THAT FELT MORE CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES, HOW WE GREW UP.

AND WE STARTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN DECEMBER OF '22, AND A FEW SHORT WEEKS LATER, I GOT A CALL FROM THE RECRUITMENT FIRM FOR THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION.

KELLAR: HEADHUNTER?

RANDAZZO: YEAH, YEAH, FROM GILMAN PARTNERS.

THEY RAN THE SEARCH, AND THE REST, AS THEY SAY, IS HISTORY.

WE MOVED HERE IN JULY OF LAST YEAR.

KELLAR: THEY MADE YOU AN OFFER YOU COULDN'T REFUSE.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, IT'S IN A TOWN LIKE CINCINNATI, WHICH IS JUST REMARKABLY GENEROUS, FIGURES OUT A WAY TO PUNCH ABOVE ITS WEIGHT.

IT WAS A REALLY EASY DECISION.

KELLAR: I HOPE SO.

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

KELLAR: WHAT DOES YOUR WIFE DO?

RANDAZZO: SO MY WIFE IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST.

SHE'S ACTUALLY AN INDIAN IMMIGRANT, CAME TO THE UNITED STATES TO DO HER PHD.

SHE SPECIALIZES IN GERIATRICS AND ELDER CARE, ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH.

KELLAR: I NEED HER PHONE NUMBER.

RANDAZZO: WELL, SHE -- SO SHE -- THAT IS HER FIRST LOVE, WORKING WITH GERIATRIC POPULATIONS.

AND SHE HAS A PRACTICE THAT SHE STILL OWNS AND MANAGES IN DALLAS.

AND SHE'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING LICENSED TO BE A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST HERE IN OHIO.

YEAH.

KELLAR: AND YOU HAVE ONE CHILD.

RANDAZZO: WE DO, GRAYSON, IS EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS OLD, GOING ON 13 OR 14.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WAIT UNTIL HE IS 13 OR 14.

RANDAZZO: ALL THE PATIENCE.

BUT HE'S A FANTASTIC, I MEAN, I'M CLEARLY BIASED, BUT HE'S A GREAT YOUNG MAN.

KELLAR: I'M SURE HE IS.

RANDAZZO: WE FOUND SEVEN HILLS TO BE OUR SCHOOL HOME.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT FIT FOR HIM.

AND HE IS LEARNING TO LOVE SOCCER BECAUSE CINCINNATI IS NOW A SOCCER TOWN.

KELLAR: YES.

I NOTICED THAT UP THE STREET FROM US.

YEAH, WE'RE WITHIN, AS THEY SAY, SPITTING DISTANCE OF THE ARENA.

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

THE TQL STADIUM.

KELLAR: YES, THE STADIUM.

YES, I MUST NOT.

ARENA IS NOT NEARLY GRAND ENOUGH TO SAY.

STADIUM.

WELL SO THIS IS WHY YOU'RE HERE NOW.

NOW YOU'RE HERE.

NOW WHAT DO YOU -- WHAT DOES THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION DO?

RANDAZZO: WELL, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION REALLY PARTNERS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO WE, IN 2023, GCF CELEBRATED ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE 60 YEARS, BARBARA, WE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR DONORS AND CORPORATE PARTNERS, HAVE DONE OVER $1.6 BILLION IN GRANT MAKING TO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND OUR ROLE IS TO REALLY HAND AND GLOVE PARTNER WITH DONORS AND HELP THEM IMAGINE WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A SPECTACULAR PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY?

AND SO THAT'S THE WORK IN IT'S SIMPLEST.

I HAVE TOLD PEOPLE MANY TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AT THE RISK OF OFFENDING, I THINK I HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST JOBS IN THE REGION.

PARTNERING WITH GENEROUS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO WELL AND DO GOOD.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO.

KELLAR: EXPLAIN -- THE ONE FUND THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH IS THE DONOR ADVISED FUND.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED.

RANDAZZO: SO, A DONOR ADVISED FUND IS BASICALLY A SIMPLE WAY, THINK OF IT ALMOST AS A MINI FOUNDATION.

SO A DONOR WHO WANTS TO DO GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY CAN OPEN A DONOR ADVISED FUND WITH GCF, AND THEY CAN GRANT MAKE OUT OF THAT FUND.

THE DIFFERENCE OF JUST WRITING A CHECK IS THAT FUND CAN BE INVESTED AND SO YOU CAN GAIN SOME MARKET RETURNS.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT YOU GET IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE GCF STAFF WHO KNOW THIS COMMUNITY EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

THERE'S NOT A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TEAM MEMBERS WHO HAVE WORKED IN AND LED IN.

AND SO IT'S OUR CHANCE TO PARTNER WITH THOSE DONORS THROUGH A DAF TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND LOOK, FOR MANY OF OUR DONORS, AS YOU MIGHT SUSPECT, THEY ARE BIG FANS OF PUBLIC RADIO AND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

KELLAR: YAY!

RANDAZZO: YAY!

AND WE NEED THAT, RIGHT?

WE NEED THEIR GENEROSITY.

WE KNOW THAT THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK IS PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY VIBRANT.

AND WE HAVE OTHER DONORS THAT CARE A LOT ABOUT COMPANION ANIMALS, PUPPIES AND KITTENS.

KELLAR: ME.

THAT'S ME TOO.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.

RIGHT?

SO HOW DO WE HELP THEM MAKE AN IMPACTFUL GIFT.

AND EVERYTHING FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BUILDING A BRIGHTER, MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY, WE SUPPORT DONORS ALONG THAT FULL SPECTRUM.

KELLAR: BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

IN MANY CASES, LIKE, YOU JUST PICK YOUR OWN.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T NEED THAT ADVICE, BUT OTHERS SAY, "OH, HERE'S WHAT, HERE'S WHAT I AM INTERESTED IN."

AND THEN YOU GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY.

YOU GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.

"HERE'S WHERE THAT'S."

RANDAZZO: WELL, WE'RE GOING TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT THE GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION, BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT SO EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

YOU'VE DESCRIBED IT PERFECTLY.

FOR SOME DONORS, SOME DONORS HAVE THE SAME, I'M GOING TO CALL IT HANDFUL OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.

THEY TITHE TO THEIR CHURCH, THEY GIVE TO THEIR UNIVERSITY ALMA MATER.

THEY GIVE TO THEIR KIDS' SCHOOLS.

FOR THEM, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR THE STRATEGIC ADVICE FROM OUR STAFF.

BUT THEY WANT TO BE IN THE KNOW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND GCF IS THAT CONNECTOR.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BIG COMMERCIAL SPONSORS OF DONOR ADVISED FUNDS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE STAFF HERE ON THE GROUND.

RIGHT?

BUT THERE ARE OTHER DONORS WHO SAY, "I REALLY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EDUCATION, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

CAN YOU, GCF, HELP ME FIGURE THAT OUT?"

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS THAT OUR TEAM HAS IS PARTNERING DONORS.

KELLAR: YEAH, SO THEY CAN GET AN ADVISER.

WELL, WHAT ARE THE OTHER FUNDS THAT YOU HAVE THERE?

RANDAZZO: YEAH, SO THE BULK OF OUR BUSINESS REALLY ARE THESE DONOR ADVISED FUNDS.

SO AS AN EXAMPLE, I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE DATA POINTS.

IN 2023 WAS JUST THIS RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR THE INSTITUTION.

SO WE RAISED OVER $240 MILLION IN NEW CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS, THE LARGEST YEAR THE FOUNDATION HAS EVER HAD.

KELLAR: HOW COULD THAT BE?

IN 2023?

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

KELLAR: WAS THAT BECAUSE THE COVID'S OVER AND PEOPLE ARE FEELING BETTER?

RANDAZZO: YEAH, I THINK IT'S A FEW THINGS.

LET'S BE CLEAR.

ALL THE STOCK MARKETS, THE MAJOR INDICES HAD DOUBLE DIGIT GAINS.

WHEN THE STOCK MARKET DOES WELL, CHARITABLE -- KELLAR: OF COURSE.

ACTUALLY THAT REALLY DICTATES FOR A LOT OF US.

HOW'S THE MARKET DOING?

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

HOW CHARITABLE CAN I BE?

KELLAR: WHEN THE MARKET'S DOWN, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

SO, THE MARKET BEING UP WAS GREAT.

WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE PLANNED GIVING PROGRAM.

AND SO WE HAD A COUPLE OF MAJOR GIFTS, WE CALL IT MATURE.

SO WE HAD PEOPLE WHO PASSED ON AND LEFT THEIR ESTATES TO THE FOUNDATION.

AND WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE.

I'VE SAID THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN THE LAST SIX AND A HALF MONTHS, WE HAVE AMONG THE MOST ENGAGED AND GENEROUS CORPORATE COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT RIVALS ANY MAJOR AMERICAN CITY.

AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE PARTNERS LIKE PROCTER AND GAMBLE AND KROGER AND ALL THESE FAMILY OFFICE INFRASTRUCTURES AND FAMILY BUSINESSES, THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT LED TO THAT.

SO $240 PLUS MILLION INTO THE FOUNDATION.

BUT HERE'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, BARBARA.

ALMOST $150 MILLION IN GRANT MAKING RIGHT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, ALSO A RECORD BREAKING YEAR.

AND SO WE KNOW OUR DONORS ARE VERY GENEROUS.

WE ACTUALLY INTERNALLY WE CALL THESE BATHTUB FUNDS.

THEY FILL IT, FILL IT UP, AND THEN THEY DRAIN IT OUT BECAUSE THEY WANT THOSE RESOURCES TO GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE THINGS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY AMAZING.

KELLAR: IT'S NOT GOOD UNTIL IT GOES OUT.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE.

SO THE BULK OF OUR WORK ARE THESE DONOR ADVISED FUNDS.

BUT WE DO SOME SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS.

WE WORK WITH CORPORATIONS WHO TEND TO USE DONOR ADVISED FUNDS AS WELL.

WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A DESIGNATED FUND.

SO IF YOU ARE DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT CET, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU COULD SET UP A DESIGNATED FUND SO THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR CET GETS A GIFT THAT'S DRAWN OFF OF AN ENDOWMENT TO HELP SECURE THE OPERATIONS LONG TERM.

SO GCF DOES A LOT OF WORK LIKE THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WOULD BE VERY FEW THINGS THEY COULDN'T DO.

IF YOU'RE A PERSON WITH THE MEANS TO DO SOMETHING, THEY COULD SAY THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, "WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

WE HAVE NOTHING FOR YOU."

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

KELLAR: I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU COULD STEER THEM TO ANY NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE SUPERPOWERS OF A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS WE CAN BE NIMBLE, WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE, FLEXIBLE, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY CREATIVE.

BUT ONE THING I THINK THAT I, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, I SPENT THE BULK OF MY CAREER LEADING EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO WHEN I STEPPED IN TO LEAD THE DALLAS FOUNDATION, I CALLED IT STEPPING THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, GOING FROM SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS HAD TO SEEK FUNDRAISING TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES IT.

AND HERE'S WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE.

WHEN WE HEAR PHILANTHROPY, MOST OF US THINK ABOUT, WE THINK ABOUT BILL AND MELINDA GATES.

WE THINK ABOUT MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL.

LOCALLY, WE THINK ABOUT THE FARMER FAMILY FOUNDATION, RIGHT.

KELLAR: THE LINDNERS AND HALE.

RANDAZZO: THE LINDNERS, RIGHT, AND HALE, THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: TIM MALONE, YES.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

REMARKABLY GENEROUS INSTITUTIONS.

BUT WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, EVEN THOSE OF US WITH MORE LIMITED MEANS TO BE A PHILANTHROPIST AND DONOR ADVISED FUNDS ALLOW A VEHICLE FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CARL LINDNER TO BE A PHILANTHROPIST.

RANDAZZO: ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND YOU'RE THERE TO HELP WITH THAT.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

KELLAR: DO YOU HAVE ANY VIGNETTES OR STORIES ABOUT THINGS?

OKAY.

RANDAZZO: LOOK, I THINK THAT THE COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE RESONATED WITH ME IN THE LAST 6 OR 7 MONTHS, ONE IS, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A REMARKABLY GENEROUS TOWN.

AND THE SIMPLE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTED NEARLY A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION.

IT PUTS US ON PAR WITH SOME OF THE LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND SO WHAT HAS REALLY POPPED FOR ME ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY IS PEOPLE ARE DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING CINCINNATI THIS FABULOUS AND VIBRANT PLACE, AND IT SHOWS UP DIFFERENTLY FOR ALL OF OUR DONORS.

SO WE HAVE DONORS WHO HAVE INVESTED, AS AN EXAMPLE, IN 2023, ALMOST $12 MILLION INTO ARTS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS.

WE ARE PROUD OF THE SYMPHONY AND THE OPERA, AND WE'RE PROUD OF MUSIC HALL RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR STUDIOS.

RIGHT?

WE FEEL DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THESE INSTITUTIONS AND OUR DONORS SHOW UP.

AND SO WE'RE DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS A COMMUNITY, OUR HOUSING IS BECOMING HIGHER PRICED, LESS AFFORDABLE.

AND SO WE SAW OUR DONORS COME UP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GCF TO INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, TO CREATE PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO BUY THE HOMES THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN.

AND I THINK THOSE TWO EXAMPLES, FOR ME, JUST ILLUSTRATE PERFECTLY THE COMPLEXITY AND GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY WANT GREAT CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEY WANT THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO OWN A QUALITY HOME AND BUILD WEALTH LIKE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH.

CINCINNATI, AND WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING THIS BECAUSE WE'RE HERE, BUT CINCINNATI IS A VERY GENEROUS CITY.

RANDAZZO: IT IS.

KELLAR: WE'RE NOT FLASHY.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN OTHER CITIES.

WELL, THE BALLET, FOR INSTANCE.

AND WE'LL LEAVE THE CITY'S NAMES UNSPOKEN, BUT WHERE THERE WASN'T THE COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS.

BUT THERE WAS A HUGE COMMITMENT TO PARTIES.

AND, I MEAN, ONE PLACE WE'D GO TO, THIS ONE PARTY, THEY HAD THESE TWO GIGANTIC SILVER BOWLS, ONE ON EITHER END, FILLED WITH CAVIAR.

AND THIS WAS A FUN -- THIS WAS FOR A CHARITY, SO TO SPEAK.

AND BUT THEY WEREN'T SUPPORTING THE ARTS.

THEY WERE HAVING INCREDIBLY FABULOUS PARTIES.

AND THOSE OF US FROM CINCINNATI WERE JUST SORT OF, WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE WOULD DO.

RANDAZZO: WELL, I'VE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED THAT.

LOOK, DALLAS IS A PARTY PHILANTHROPY KIND OF TOWN.

AND PART OF WHAT STARTED, YOU KNOW, DALLAS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT WAS FABULOUS FOR MY CAREER.

AND I OWE A LOT TO THE CITY AND TO ITS MANY CIVIC LEADERS AND DONORS.

THAT SAID, WE REALLY WANTED TO FIND A PLACE THAT HAD THESE VALUES THAT WERE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT, AND THAT VALUE BEING, "HOW DO WE LIFT UP THE COMMUNITY?"

AND YOUR EXAMPLE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, GIANT SILVER TUBS FULL OF CAVIAR VERSUS WHAT IS THE -- KELLAR: SUPPORTING THE ARTS.

RANDAZZO: WHAT'S THE ACTUAL.

KELLAR: IT WAS AN ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT WENT KAPUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: THEY ALSO DIDN'T SUPPORT THEIR SYMPHONY, WHICH WENT AWAY.

I KNOW MY HUSBAND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A MAN THERE ABOUT THAT EXACT THING.

AND THE GUY SAID, YOU KNOW, HE GREW ORCHIDS AS A HABIT.

HE SAID, AND THIS WAS 30 YEARS AGO.

THE NUMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT HIGHER NOW.

BUT HE SAID, "I CAN SELL A GUY $5,000 WORTH OF ORCHIDS FOR A PARTY, BUT I CAN'T GET HIM TO DONATE $500 TO A CHARITY."

RANDAZZO: YEAH, THIS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, IMAGE OBSESSION THAT WE DO SEE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE WE'RE SORT OF PUTTING A SHINE ON THINGS AS OPPOSED TO, LIKE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HERE'S WHAT EVERY COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE, VERY SIMPLY NEEDS TO THRIVE.

WE NEED PHILANTHROPIC CAPITAL.

WE NEED GENEROUS PEOPLE TO GIVE GENEROUSLY.

BUT ALONG WITH THAT, WE NEED THEIR SOCIAL CAPITAL TO TELL THE STORY OF THOSE NONPROFITS TO OTHERS AND THROUGH BOARD SERVICE AND THROUGH OTHER WAYS, WE NEED THEIR INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL.

AND IN MY MIND, THOSE ARE THE THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL.

YOU GOT TO GIVE MONEY.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE WILLING TO LIFT UP THE CAUSE WITH YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK, AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HOLD YOUR SERVICE WITH RIGOR, THE WAY YOU WOULD IN YOUR BUSINESS, IN YOUR CORPORATION, BRING THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO LIFT AND SCALE THIS WORK.

THAT IS WHY THIS COMMUNITY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.

I MEAN, REALLY ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, BUT PARTICULARLY THE ARTS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS HERE ARE WORLD CLASS AND SECOND TO NONE.

WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT'S OUR MINDSET.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY.

AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T GIVE GREAT PARTIES BECAUSE -- RANDAZZO: I'VE BEEN TO A FEW AND I'VE ACTUALLY HOSTED ONE ALREADY.

KELLAR: AND THAT I WAS, A LOT OF YEARS I ENJOYED A LOT OF PARTIES BUT I THINK -- BUT THEY WEREN'T THE KIND THAT THAT'S ALL THERE IS.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

THERE WAS SUBSTANCE TO IT.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH.

BUT IT WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO THE ARTS ORGANIZATION.

IT'S NOT DOING THIS INSTEAD OF GIVING, INSTEAD OF GIVING TO THE ARTS ORGANIZATION.

YEAH.

AND THAT'S A MINDSET.

AND I THINK THE ENTHUSIASM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE INTELLECTUAL, GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED.

WE'VE DONE THAT OVER THE YEARS TRYING TO BRING IN PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEY COULD, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE GIVERS.

MAYBE THEY JUST WANT TO BE A VOLUNTEER OR JUST A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER, PICKING UP THEIR NEIGHBOR TO GO TO THE BALLET OR THE SYMPHONY OR THE OPERA.

RANDAZZO: YOU KNOW THAT VOLUNTEER PIECE, I WANT TO CAMP ON THAT FOR A MOMENT.

YOU KNOW, I MOVED TO TOWN AROUND THE TIME WHERE THERE WAS THIS REALLY BIG QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT CINCINNATI WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

RANDAZZO: THEN CALLED, RIGHT, THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY STRUCK ME, THE BUSINESS COURIER DID THIS FABULOUS MULTI-PAGE SPREAD DESCRIBING EVERYTHING.

AND IT TALKED ABOUT AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT STATISTIC, BUT IT TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO PUT THAT TOURNAMENT ON FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

AND THAT, TO ME WAS A TESTAMENT TO THIS TOWN THAT, IF I RECALL, IT WAS THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS.

SO IF YOU PICK UP AND YOU MOVE THAT ANYWHERE ELSE, YOU'RE PROBABLY -- YOU DON'T HAVE THAT VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT IN.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A LOT MORE PAID STAFF.

SO, THERE'S JUST SO MANY WAYS IN WHICH THIS COMMUNITY SHOWS UP, RIGHT?

WHETHER IT'S THE, I THINK THEY'RE NOW CALLING IT THE CINCINNATI OPEN.

RIGHT?

SO WHETHER IT'S THE VOLUNTEER FRAMEWORK FOR THE CINCINNATI OPEN OR THE PLAYHOUSE OR THE SYMPHONY OR THE OPERA, ALL THESE FABULOUS INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE TO RELY ON VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, PARTNERS.

KELLAR: YOU'RE SITTING IN A STUDIO AT CET, WHICH DURING THE YEARS OF OUR AUCTIONS, THIS WAS BUDDY LAROSA WHEN THEY WERE SERVING PIZZA.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT TODAY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BUT THE CET AUCTION WAS AT ITS HEIGHT TEN DAYS.

WE HAD 4000 VOLUNTEERS.

RANDAZZO: WOW.

KELLAR: 4000.

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

KELLAR: BECAUSE I COUNTED THEM PERSONALLY.

YES.

AND I WOULD SAY 90% OF THOSE PEOPLE PROBABLY COULDN'T GIVE OR COULDN'T, NOTHING THAT YOU WOULD SAY WAS -- YEAH.

BUT THEY CAME, THEY GAVE THEIR TIME.

AND LOTS OF THEM COULDN'T REALLY HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING, BUT THEY CAME AND THEY WORKED THE ENTIRE TIME.

SOME OF THEM, AND THEY STILL TAKE THEIR VACATIONS TO WORK ON THE CET AUCTION.

WE HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THOSE DAYS.

AND WHEN WE CUT IT DOWN TO MANY, MANY FEWER DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT SCENARIO AS FAR AS THAT.

AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH IT.

AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED ALL THAT TIME, AND I WAS GOING TO DO A ONE DAY FUNDRAISER, WHERE A BIG TICKET ITEM.

RANDAZZO: YEAH.

KELLAR: AND THESE -- WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

BUT THESE PEOPLE SAID, "WELL, WE CAN'T COME TO THOSE THINGS AND WE REALLY MISS."

AND SO THEY REINSTATED THE AUCTION BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE SO DEDICATED AND REALLY ENJOYED IT.

THEY LOVED COMING DOWN HERE AND WORKING AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS.

THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT JOBS, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW PEOPLE CAN HAVE GREAT PASSION AND THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING.

THEY CAN'T GIVE MONEY, BUT THEY CAN GIVE THEMSELVES.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SORT OF THIS IDEA OF PHILANTHROPY.

SO I'LL GET A LITTLE ACADEMIC HERE FOR A MINUTE AND SAY, THE PHILANTHROPY COMES FROM THE GREEK AND IT MEANS THE LOVE OF MANKIND OR THE LOVE OF HUMANKIND.

KELLAR: OKAY.

RANDAZZO: RIGHT.

AND AGAIN, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PHILANTHROPY, WE THINK ABOUT THE MANY BUILDINGS THAT HAVE PEOPLE'S NAMES ON THEM.

AND WE NEED THEIR GENEROSITY.

WE NEED THEM TO GIVE BIG.

ONE OF THE FORMS OF PHILANTHROPY THAT I EXPERIENCED MOST OFTEN AS A CHILD GROWING UP POOR IN DETROIT.

WE HAD FOOD STAMPS AND WE SHOPPED IN FOOD PANTRIES.

AND THERE WERE ALWAYS THESE MOMENTS WHERE I'D BE AT THE GROCERY STORE WITH MY MOTHER, AND WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD STAMPS TO COVER WHAT WAS ON THE CONVEYOR BELT, OR WE HAD SOMETHING ON THE CONVEYOR BELT THAT MAYBE WASN'T ELIGIBLE.

AND IT WAS THE PERSON IN LINE BEHIND US WHO WOULD PULL OUT A $5 OR $10 BILL AND CLOSE THE GAP.

AND SO I THINK MY, I THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF TOWN WHERE MANY.

KELLAR: THIS IS DEFINITELY THE TIME.

RANDAZZO: CAN PULL THAT $10.

KELLAR: ABSOLUTELY.

RANDAZZO: AND THAT KINDNESS RESONATES AND THAT IS PHILANTHROPY.

KELLAR: YES.

THAT'S PHILANTHROPY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF PHILANTHROPY THAT SHOWS YOU THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE CITY.

RANDAZZO: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: OUR BIGGEST PEOPLE ARE THE OBVIOUSLY INCREDIBLY GENEROUS, BUT I THINK DOWN TO THE LEAST ABLE TO GIVE MONEY, THEY GIVE THEMSELVES.

AND I KNOW THE CET AUCTION VOLUNTEERS, THAT WESTERN AND SOUTHERN.

MY GOODNESS.

THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER FUNDRAISER THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.

WE HAD THAT TALL STACKS THING ONE TIME.

THEY HAD HUGE NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS AND WE'RE A GIVING CITY.

RANDAZZO: YEAH, WE ARE.

KELLAR: AND WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE TO HELP GET THAT IN THE RIGHT PLACES WHERE IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD.

AND WE JUST WISH YOU SO MUCH LUCK AND HAPPINESS HERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND YOU FOR MANY, MANY, MANY MORE YEARS.

RANDAZZO: WELL, I APPRECIATE IT.

I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE AND TO PARTNER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO, THANK YOU.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

CAPTIONS: MAVERICK CAPTIONING CIN OH MAVERICKCAPTIONING.COM