Becky Goss is the 2022 President’s Award Honoree
The past presidents of the McPherson Chamber select the President’s Award winner, to recognize an individual for their valuable contribution and long-term impact on the McPherson business community. The 2022 President’s Award was presented to Becky Goss at the McPherson Chamber annual meeting on October 18th. Keep reading to find out more about Becky and her impact, and that of the McPherson County Community Foundation, on our community
Becky Goss was born and raised in Alta Vista, Kansas to Roger and Betty Crowell. She graduated high school from Council Grove then received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas. After college, she worked as a videographer for Binks Manufacturing producing training and sales videos for the company.
After returning home to Kansas, she worked for the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau planning leisure and business trips to the Little Apple. In 1991, her future husband Todd asked her out for their first date and the rest, as they say, is history. In 1992, she moved to McPherson making this her permanent home.
Her early work in this area consisted of Admission rep for the Salina Technical Center and the Development Director for Multi Community Diversified Services. After their first son Ty was born in 1998, she quickly realized she would not be able to leave him at daycare full time, so began Business Essentials to write and develop newsletters for nonprofit organizations.
While working independently, the Leave A Legacy Society was established in McPherson County and Becky was asked to lead the campaign. The focus of the campaign was to encourage local residents to continue their giving upon their death by planning for and preparing wills or trusts. Although Leave A Legacy and the Community Foundation were essentially two different organizations, this role was the genesis for her future with the Foundation.
In January 2001, the McPherson County Community Foundation was officially established, and Becky was selected as their first President/CEO. The organization had zero assets, an opportunity for a $300,000 matching grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, and a dream for the future of McPherson County.
Since then, the Foundation has grown to over $41 million in assets, has awarded nearly $23 million in grants and has 332 funds under management. The focus of the Foundation is to provide donors a tool to help meet their charitable goals. As donor goals have grown and changed over the past 20 years, so has the Foundation’s ability to empower those dreams. The Foundation has been able to add staff to further the development of community initiatives as well as provide additional support to the County’s nonprofit entities. Becky has worked tirelessly, building trust and vision in the community upon which funds, endowments, and projects grew benefitting the whole of McPherson County. Todd and Becky’s second son, Kade was born in 2001 and she likes to say the Foundation and Kade grew up together.
Some of the projects she’s proudest of are the Shoes and Coats for Kids fund providing children in need a resource for shoes in the winter months; being an integral part of the establishment of STEPMC; establishing the Philanthropist of the Year award to recognize the tremendous efforts made by people in our community to help others; securing over $1.6 million through match days (now weeks) so that organizations can build permanent funds for their projects; the Foundation’s efforts to address mental health concerns, specifically suicide awareness and prevention; and securing $7.4 million from an estate gift to benefit the Lindsborg community.
Becky has served in various capacities for other organizations, including Leadership Chair at the McPherson Church of the Brethren; Meals on Wheels coordinator for the church; and on the Camp Colorado Board of Directors. She was an establishing member of the Kansas Association of Community Foundations and served as their first Board Chair. Since then, she has served on the organization’s conference planning committee and as Advocacy Chair.
Becky’s favorite saying is “the true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” It is her hope the Foundation is that tree.
Congratulations Becky!