a Legacy for Opera Theatre “ We want to help assure that Opera Theatre will continue to be the exciting artistic force it is today.” Mary Susman and Tom Herm are a vital part of the Opera Theatre family. A member of the OTSL Board of Directors since 2007, Mary led OTSL’s volunteer Guild as President from 2007–2009. Tom has served on the Guild’s Executive Committee as Treasurer for more than eight years. Both have worn a multitude of other volunteer hats, as well — from transporting artists and housing young singers, to spearheading the efforts of the Tempos, to chairing successful Guild events. Their generosity as donors has ensured the success of the Spotlight on Opera series, pre-performance lectures, and the Spring Sing! program. Their enthusiasm for opera and passion for St. Louis has had an invaluable impact on our community.
Board members, volunteers, subscribers, patrons — Mary Susman and Tom Herm have numerous connections to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. They decided to deepen that connection and help provide a secure foundation for the company’s future by including OTSL in their estate plans. We talked to Mary and Tom recently about this decision. Why is having an estate plan important to you? Like all people executing an estate plan, we want to ensure that our legacy is divided according to our wishes, safeguarding the future for people and organizations we care about. Our estate plan will of course provide for our son and his family, but it also includes provisions for members of our extended family. Opera Theatre is an important member of our extended family. Why did you choose Opera Theatre? OTSL is a vital part of our life; throughout our long association with it we have made lifelong friendships. The six-week festival season is something we look forward to year-round — we know we can count on every production being of the highest quality. The company is fiscally responsible (with a history of always balancing the annual budget) and a national model for excellence. They greatly value their donors and repeatedly demonstrate that appreciation, along with creating a positive impact on the community and embracing diverse audiences. What was the single most important consideration in your decision to make a planned gift? Is there an important moment, person, or special occasion that influenced your decision? We want to help assure that Opera Theatre will continue to be the exciting artistic force it is today. In addition, the company, under Timothy O’Leary’s leadership, has been dedicated to making the organization relevant to the entire St. Louis community. This is a driving force behind our continued support. Our annual giving has always stressed engagement initiatives such as Spring Sing!, Spotlight on Opera, and free pre-performance lectures. This community engagement will continue to raise the importance and relevance of our planned gift in these troubling times. What do you hope your gift will support? We believe it is important for organizations to have unrestricted gifts — we want our future gift to be directed to Opera Theatre’s area of greatest critical need at the time; we have full confidence in the OTSL Board and staff leadership to make the right decision about that need. Why would you encourage others to include OTSL in their estate plans? If you care about the cultural fabric of St. Louis, demonstrate your commitment through annual donations, volunteering, and a planned gift. In particular, planned giving enables you to continue to enrich the St. Louis community after you are gone. Also, it allows you to experience the joy of knowing the impact that your personally significant, hard-earned money will make! 147