Punch Profiles: People to Know / 6 Questions with Bill DuBose

The Theme of “Community” as the Driver

We at the Punch want to spread the good news and the good work that the GREAT people of the Washington DC metro area do.  We are talking about innovators, entrepreneurs, tastemakers, artists, and industry leaders who take what they do not just one step further, but ten, or even a hundred steps further.  These are the people whom you know are so very busy in their everyday professional, personal and family lives, but who actually take the time to be involved within the community at large.  These are the people whom we aim to highlight.  Know someone who fits this bill?  Email us at pamela@pamelaspunch.com and we may just profile him or her.

Today, we look to a local businessman based in McLean, Virginia who started his extracurricular activities early on in his career, in college, actually.  Bill DuBose of Bill DuBose, CFP knew that being a part of something greater and in a leadership position, was something he was akin to and was in his blood.  Later in life, this would serve both him and others greatly.  We had a chance to catch up with this Washingtonian to talk about his view on serving his community for the greater good.

Bill DuBose of Bill DuBose, CFP

Pamela’s Punch:  Tell us a bit about your background.

Bill DuBose:  I’m not a native Washingtonian, but as of this month (May 2012) I have lived here 30 years!  My family is from South Carolina, but my father was in the Air Force so I moved around most of my life.  My last two years of high school were in this area—Gaithersburg.  As a graduate student at Texas A&M University, I came to Washington in 1982 for an internship that turned into a full-time job and I never went back!

I spent the first 15 years of my career as a federal lobbyist and trade association executive.  But in 1997, I had what I like to call my “first mid-life” crisis and changed careers!  Today, I am a financial planner with my own practice in McLean that provides financial and retirement planning to independent women.

PP:  Tell us about your involvement with charities and the community.

BD:  Throughout my life, I have been involved with organizations.  From serving as President of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Clemson University to academic organizations to serving on professional associations such as on the board of the American League of Lobbyists, I have always gravitated toward opportunities to make my community a better place to live and work.

Changing my career gave me the freedom to focus on my local community of McLean, where I have lived for about 20 years, where my two sons were educated and where I have built my financial planning business.  I jumped in and have been involved with the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce since the career change, serving for two years as Chairman.  I also served on the Board of Trustees of the McLean Community Foundation and for the past six years, I have been a board member and officer of the McLean Project for the Arts.

With each organization, I have been blessed with many opportunities to improve our community or to assist those who can use a helping hand.  The theme of “community” has driven me all these years and has been my motivation for being involved.

PP:  You are a Washingtonian, you’ve chosen to plant your roots here professionally and personally. From your perspective, how have you seen the philanthropic landscape change?

BD:  Over the years, I have seen the world of corporate philanthropy change and evolve.  Today, most large corporations and many foundations want to see their employees actively engaged with a charity before they will even consider providing financial or other support.  While this might seem to be limiting to others, I think it has been a great motivator to get employees, especially younger employees, involved at all levels.  This involvement not only helps the charity, but also provides leadership and educational opportunities for the employees that will ultimately translate into benefits for the employer!

PP:  You have also been supporting Punch Partner Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation. How did you become introduced to the charity?

BD:  I was introduced to the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation by one of its founders, Doni Kanka.  From day one, I have been so impressed with the organization, the people who are involved and the commitment to preventing and curing this awful disease.  My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer about three years ago.  I’m happy to report that after surgery and a rough round of chemotherapy, she is now a survivor!

My role with the foundation has been minimal.  I was honored to be asked to serve on the board, but with other commitments, I didn’t feel I had the time to give, at least not in that way.  What I have tried to do is to introduce others to the organization, both volunteers and potential sponsors, so that Chris4Life can continue to achieve great things.

PP:  Tell us how being involved with charities like Chris4Life has benefited your professional and personal life.

BD:  I am a connector and love to introduce people and organizations that can be beneficial to each other. For Chris4Life, I have worked to introduce Founder Michael Sapienza and others to some of my friends and contacts within the “cancer” world, both as a resource to Michael, but also because knowing Michael and what his foundation is doing would be beneficial to my friends and contacts.

For example, no organization, in my opinion, has been as successful in recruiting and engaging the young professional demographic!  Thanks to many involved, Chris4Life has the young professional market cornered.  And this is so important for so many reasons—especially for developing the next generation of philanthropists, but also for the energy, enthusiasm and skills needed to create and run events such as the Young Professionals Happy Hours, the Scope It Out 5k Run/Walk, the Dream Date Auction events, etc.

PP:  As a corporate citizen, what suggestion do you have for those who want to integrate themselves into the giving world, but don’t have a ton of time?

BD:  Everyone should be able to find at least one charitable or community organization that could benefit from their involvement.  Not everyone can commit the time to serve on a board of directors or chair a committee, but I would venture to say that everyone can find a few hours a year to help clean up a community park or help paint a facility that houses homeless families or collects food for the local food bank.  We all have different talents and skills that can be and should be put to good use for the benefit of others and our community.