New director named for WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Funds
Mark Maurice began serving as executive director of WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation in June.
Maurice brings more than 30 years of experience in Christian stewardship, charitable gift planning, and endowment development to these roles. “I look forward to serving God’s people by helping them reach their stewardship goals in supporting ministries they love, both now and down the road, through solid gift planning,” he says. “In addition, I greatly want to support congregations and ministries as they look ahead by having additional financial resources to enhance sharing the gospel and serving their communities.”
WELS Investment Funds, a self-supporting subsidiary of WELS, provides cost-effective, professionally managed investment portfolios for more than 270 WELS ministries, affiliated organizations, and congregations. WELS Foundation offers planned giving support to WELS donors through WELS Christian giving counselors and facilitates various giving opportunities, including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, donor advised funds, and endowments. “We want to help WELS members support the ministries they care about through thoughtful gift planning, enabling them to create a lasting gospel impact for future generations,” says Maurice.
Before joining WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Funds, Maurice served for four years as vice president for mission advancement at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. He also served as a philanthropic adviser with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, where he worked with nonprofit organizations and donors to encourage thoughtful stewardship and charitable giving. He holds a master’s degree in business administration with a finance concentration. He and his wife, Mary-Jane, are members at St. John, Wauwatosa, Wis.
Maurice succeeds James Holm, who retired after 30 years of serving in Christian giving ministries for WELS. Maurice, who has served on the WELS Foundation Board of Directors for the last ten years, knows Holm well. “Jim’s vast knowledge and experience were a tremendous blessing in his dual role. He made board service a pleasure, and the meetings were something to look forward to,” says Maurice. “I definitely have big shoes to fill in following Jim in this important role.”
He’s excited about that opportunity. “It’s inspiring to work with God’s people every day to develop creative solutions to support ministries they love,” he says.
Learn more about WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation.
