Former Foundation Executive Director, Marty Ricks, Establishes PACE Fund

Marty And Iris RicksMarty Ricks stepped down as the Foundation's Executive Director in January 2013, and now serves as Chief Development Officer for the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Inc. He established his legacy at the Foundation through his 14 years of dedicated service, and he is also leaving a lasting financial legacy to Omaha's Jewish community by establishing a Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment (PACE) fund with the Foundation. 

"After directing the Foundation for 14 years, I know, first-hand, how valuable a PACE fund is to our community," said Marty. "PACE and LOJE (Lion of Judah Endowment) funds enable donors to perpetually endow their annual campaign gifts to the Federation. It's a terrific way to ensure the financial stability of the Federation so it will be here for future generations of Omaha's Jewish community. I worked with others to create their lasting legacy and felt it was time for me to do the same. My roots are here and I want to do all that I can to support our wonderful Jewish community. My PACE fund enables me to do that in perpetuity."

Donors establish and grow their PACE and LOJE funds in a variety of ways. I regularly make contributions to my PACE Fund. You can donate cash, make a bequest in your will, use life insurance, name the Foundation as the beneficiary of an IRA or retirement plan, establish a Charitable Remainder Trust or Charitable Gift Annuity, or give stock or other property." 

In addition to Marty's PACE fund, his wife, Iris, established the Ruth and Otmar Liebenstein Jewish Family Service Financial Assistance Endowment Fund in 2001 in memory of her parents. "My dad came here from Europe with basically nothing," explained Iris. "He sometimes spoke of his concerns about getting old and not having enough money for food, shelter and so on. While my parents ended up being financially okay in their later years, we know that isn't the case for all seniors. So, we decided that our endowment fund would support JFS in their work to assist those in Omaha's Jewish community who are in financial need."