Investing in the Future of UW-Eau Claire and Its Students

After working in the banking and finance industry for more than 30 years, Jeff Liddicoat knows a sound investment when he sees one. For the 1981 UW-Eau Claire business administration graduate, giving back to his alma mater wasn't just a sound financial decision; it was also a moral one.

Liddicoat, a senior vice president for Horicon Bank, a $600 million community bank located in East Central Wisconsin, has included a bequest in his will to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation toward the Endowment for Excellence Fund.

"I decided to include UW-Eau Claire in my will about five years ago," Liddicoat said. "I realized if a person is fortunate enough to have created any wealth during their lifetime there is a moral reason to responsibly manage that wealth. Since I had acquired skills at UW-Eau Claire and I had fond memories of my college days, it was natural that some of my estate should end up at the university."

Concepts taught in the business curriculum at UW-Eau Claire provided a taste of how to manage a business in the real world, Liddicoat said. The combination of business and history courses, taken for his minor, helped him learn and develop interpersonal communication skills as well; skills that have proven their worth in the banking industry.

"In general I really enjoyed my business major and history minor classes," Liddicoat said. "My last college courses were at the end of May in 1981. I was just three credits short of graduating at the regular semester end, so I enrolled in a business class field trip. We went to New York City where we visited businesses in Manhattan, Wall Street and the Federal Reserve, and took in some plays on Broadway. It was a nice way to end my college career."

When asked if he had any advice for others considering a planned estate gift, Liddicoat said, "Don't put it off. We don't know when the time will come when we will be hit by the proverbial 'ice cream truck.' At the very least, consider estate planning for tax reasons."

There are many ways to make a gift in support of UW-Eau Claire. Please contact Michele Olson at 715-836-3526 or olsonmma@uwec.edu to learn more.