that on to future generations of my family. I’d like my legacy to be that I cared; cared enough to make some sacrifices in my own life to give to these people who give so much to this nation—and that I was also a good husband and father at the same time.
Do you envision a next generation of Fishers carrying on the legacy? Ken: I pray that when the next generation gets old enough, there will never be a need for another Fisher House. That being said, unrealistic as that is, I do see my children getting involved in the Fisher Houses— more than I see them getting involved in the family business.
Any final thoughts? Ken: That it is a privilege to do this. And I don’t say that lightly, because of the time it takes. It has been a long road, and as we approach our 20-year anniversary, we’re in the midst of our most aggressive expansion ever. It can be a challenge managing it— managing the growth so we don’t get way ahead of ourselves while serving those who deserve the best this nation has to offer.
helping military families. Sticking to the core mission is the main reason we have maintained an A+ rating from the Charity watchdog groups—even through this aggressive expansion. I attribute our success to the Fisher House staff. We’re blessed with great people who are as passionate about this as I am. I want to give a standing ovation to the entire Fisher House crew. This is and will remain a team effort—no one person can do this alone.
As the need has grown, we have evolved commensurate with that need, but we haven’t strayed from our core mission:
It’s very difficult to juggle what has become two full-time jobs—managing a 6.5 millionsquare-foot real estate portfolio and at the same time managing the growth of the foundation as pragmatically as I can. It’s not easy sometimes…my wife Tammy keeps me well grounded. Tammy is very engaged in the foundation as well—it gets a little infectious. My oldest daughter is 28—she already gets it. My teenagers aren’t in that kind of mode yet, but when they go to the house grand openings, and they see the impact the houses make, it leaves an impression.
2010 In the program’s 20th year, there are a total of 48
Fisher House Chairman Ken Fisher has overseen a dramatic expansion of the program.
houses in operation, with more than 3.5 million days of lodging offered. Guest families have saved an estimated $150 million in costs of travel and commercial lodging. President Obama donates $250,000 from his Nobel Prize honorarium to Fisher House Foundation. More than 20,000 Hero Miles airline tickets provided free to service members and their families since the program’s inception
THE PATRIOT • SUMMER/FALL 2010
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