Ohio State University Shares the Success of Their Financial Ambassador Program
March 1, 2010
Evolution of the Buckeye Club Financial Ambassador Program Joe Manhertz, director of development, Ohio State University (OSU), shows the evolution of the Buckeye Club Financial Ambassador Program. How the Foundation was built In 2001, the OSU athletics department created the Buckeye Club Financial Advisors (FA) program. The initial participants were financial planners, attorneys and accountants from across the state of Ohio that were already known entities to the department. The design of the program was to familiarize these financial advisors with the OSU athletics department in an intimate way, so they in turn, could help advocate for and align their clients' charitable goals within the varying athletics priorities and gift opportunities. Educating and familiarizing financial advisors with in-depth information on the OSU athletics programs provided two key benefits: 1) the advisors appreciated the fundamental needs of operating and growing all of the athletics programs and 2) the advisors were able to educate their clients on the varying giving levels and incentives - essentially serving as ambassadors for the athletics department. Each financial advisor became a valuable tool in the development officer's arsenal. Essential to the program's success was keeping OSU athletics at the forefront of the financial advisors' mind. Strengthening relationships With 36 varsity sports and high fan support, a majority of the clients of the financial advisor will have more than a casual interest in OSU athletics. When a financial advisor is a member of the FA program their clients have access to OSU athletics that other financial advisors cannot provide. Recently, a financial advisor was able to invite 30 clients to a women's basketball event. Jim Foster, head coach, welcomed the participants, thanked everyone for attending and invited them back at any time. Assistant coach, Debbie Black, presented a scouting report. The evening concluded with a financial guest speaker from Federated Funds who presented a future forecast for the stock market. That financial advisor was able to give her clients a unique experience and the athletics department gained 30 new potential donors. The OSU athletics department is also committed to recognizing the financial advisors and their clients. As the relationship with the client/donor grows and major gifts are committed and solicited, the financial advisor has helped create a remarkable experience for his client. When an endowment is announced on the field prior to a home football game in Ohio stadium, the client/donor can look to the financial advisor to thank for making the link of his interests and OSU athletics. Creating these opportunities and experiences for their clients adds value to the advisor-client relationship in a way that has not been previously explored and is unique to the FA program. An FA Program Meeting The OSU athletics department strives to create a total experience during an FA program meeting. The location of the FA program meeting is as essential as the information that is provided, utilizing the best athletics assets of the department are critical. The 50-yard line University suite at Ohio Stadium; the new players lounge in the $22 million expansion of the Les Wexner Football Complex at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and the OSU Golf Course are examples of the venues that have been used for FA program meetings. Before a catered lunch is served, we present a brief program to highlight the achievements and success stories of the OSU athletics department and its programs since the last meeting. Packets of information are also distributed to the advisors including Buckeye Club brochures, executive summaries of current capital projects (including naming opportunities), information on establishing endowments and planned giving material. Also attending the meetings are representatives from the university development and office of planned giving. These individuals are welcome partners and great resource in helping secure gifts and answering questions about other initiatives at OSU. After lunch is served, a student-athlete will talk about their experiences at Ohio State and how his or her scholarship provides an incredible opportunity for them to learn, compete and train at a high level. The student-athlete provides a unique insight into the benefits of supporting the OSU athletics department. Often we will follow the student-athlete with a coach's presentation on a current funding need or project and the recruiting implications it will have on the program. Attendance is always higher when you can have one of your power coaches or marquee student-athlete as your guest speakers. Our athletics director concludes the meeting with a current update on the state of the program and then welcomes comments from the advisors on sharing best practices and outlining opportunities they have had successfully linking clients with athletics projects at OSU. Vision to Expand the Program As with any successful program, critical evaluation is necessary. Change for the sake of change is never prudent, however, in evaluating the current program and its need to expand and grow to ultimately increase donations to the athletics department we needed to address one key element...the name of the group. We changed the name from the Buckeye Club Financial Advisors to the Buckeye Club Financial Ambassadors. This change was made to better reflect what the financial advisors were doing - serving as ambassadors for the athletics department, its program and charitable opportunities and serving as ambassadors for their clients making a profound philanthropic impact on the lives of student-athletes, athletics programs and the community. We are also exploring additional events and avenues that can provide more benefits for the financial advisors and their clients. One thought is to allow a financial advisor to host an OSU development team (athletics director, coach, development officer, etc.) at his private firm for other firm advisors and their clients (in a similar fashion as a mutual fund family program). The financial advisor would introduce our athletics director and team coach; the coach would speak about leadership/recruiting and the athletics director could give an update on the program and outline some of the naming opportunities that exist. In essence, the athletics department would be educating the financial advisors and their entire firm on its performance and outlining different ways their clients could help effect change and support OSU student-athletes, athletics programs and the community. Success of the Program The FA program has been successful at OSU by several measurable outcomes. The seven-figure naming gift to our aquatic center resulted from the FA program; endowments have grown substantially including at least 10 new endowed scholarships (including 3 from financial advisors); numerous annual fund donors have been added - many of them the financial advisors; there has been an increase in planned giving and gifts to our capital projects. I would be remiss if I did not mention those that have started and been part of this success including, Andy Geiger, Gene Smith, Tom Hof (former Sr. Associate AD), Mark Wright (currently at Marquette) and many others.
Manhertz previously served as the event services manager at the Jerome Schottenstein Center and as a graduate assistant in the Buckeye Club at OSU. Upon leaving Ohio State, Manhertz became the director of development for athletics at Syracuse University(SU). In his time at SU, Manhertz was able to oversee the installation of courtside seating in the Carrier Dome along with coordinating all postseason ticketing for donors with football and basketball. Manhertz implemented new levels to the Orange Pack and was responsible for all premium seating and suites in the Carrier Dome. He also was the liaison to the Football Letterman's Club and oversaw the major gift campaign for various projects. Manhertz was also an adjunct professor in the sport management program at SUNY-Cortland, where he taught sport marketing and sport and sponsorship sales. Manhertz spent one year at Hamilton College as the associate director of leadership gifts. Manhertz is a native of Fairport, N.Y. and graduate of Fairport High School. He received his undergraduate degree in geography from Colgate University, where he played football and basketball and was a member of The Delta Upsilon Fraternity. In 1998 Manhertz earned his masters degree in sport management from The Ohio State University. Manhertz began his athletic career working for the National Football League Players Association in Washington, D.C., and as assistant to the athletic director at Colgate. He is a graduate of the NCAA leadership Institute for Ethnic Minorities. Joe and his wife, Alexis, have two children, "Trey" (Joseph III) and Trevor, and reside in Westerville.
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About Joe Manhertz: 
