My team often jokes that if I take too long running an errand, it’s probably because I’m telling a perfect stranger about the importance of legacy planning.

You see, 20 years ago, my mom and I—with my father’s mentorship—started Gift Planning Services with just a handful of clients. We saw a need, especially among small Midwestern nonprofits, for third-party legacy consulting without an agenda. It took off, and since then, we’ve served thousands of families who’ve collectively given over half a billion dollars to charitable work.

I’m incredibly proud of the niche we’ve created for ourselves, the team we’ve built, and the way we’ve adapted to countless economic shifts, tax law changes, and increasingly digitized and fast-paced ways of doing business.

While I deeply love the relational focus of this work, I’ll be the first to admit that running a small business became all-encompassing. When I wasn’t on the road meeting with donors, I was thinking about potential clients, our next hire, the financial aspects of the company, and how to scale. It took a significant investment of time, money, and focus to keep the business going.

With our recent move from Wisconsin to the Quad Cities, my husband and I are getting settled into a new home and a new community. The time feels right to step down from my leadership role, both for the sake of my health, and also because there’s now an incredible team around me who can take this business—my “baby”—and move the vision forward with a fresh start.

I’m thrilled to announce that our COO, Christy Boysen, and our Director of Marketing, Monique Kleinhuizen, are creating a new business entity under which they will continue to serve our clients seamlessly, and with the same integrity and commitment to excellence. They’re working diligently to wrap up business operations for Gift Planning Services and connect with existing and new clients about what the future can look like. I’ll continue to serve as a resource to them, but will be much less involved day-to-day.

I’m not sure what this next season will look like exactly, but I know I am open to where the Lord is leading me. I hope this next chapter includes lots of time with my grandkids, some travel, golf, and freedom to get more involved in our new church. We’re also getting to know all the great restaurants, parks, and the thriving community in Bettendorf, IA.

If you have questions about this transition, or just want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you!

I’m so grateful for the time I’ve had at the helm of this incredible company, and for the amazing people I’ve met along the way.

Thanks for everything,