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This story is part of our 2024 Annual Report.

The legacy of Jordan Fullan’s ancestors has left a profound impression both on her and her hometown of Dubuque. 

“Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandma, Beverly, and she just had this energy, this affection for giving back to people that I just wanted to have,” Jordan says. “I’ve always aspired to make people feel the way my grandmother did.” 

Jordan tells the story of how her grandmother once let an employee at the family business, HODGE, borrow her convertible, no questions asked, when he was in need of transportation. “She just tossed her car keys to him and said, ‘See you in a bit!’”

Although Beverly died when Jordan was 12, Jordan says she thinks of her as she raises a family and runs a family business. She and her husband, Michael, are working with the Community Foundation and our planned giving partner, Johni Hays of Thompson & Associates, to develop an estate plan that reflects the values her grandmother instilled. 

“What I love about Dubuque is that it gives me small-town comforts and relationships as well as the ability to have unique experiences,” says Jordan, who serves on the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. “You feel engaged in the community here; you feel like you are part of the transformation.”

“There’s a sense of pride for the community and this feeling that Dubuque’s best days are ahead,” says Michael, who grew up in Clinton, Iowa, and works alongside Jordan at HODGE as executive vice president of real estate. 

Like others in our region, Jordan and Michael want Dubuque to be a place where future generations can thrive. To make this vision a reality, they are part of a movement to set aside a small portion of their estate for community funds that will grant out to address needs and opportunities that arise in the future. 

Over the next 10 years in the seven-county Dubuque region, $2.2 billion is estimated to transfer from one generation to the next. Many of the heirs are children and loved ones, and in some cases, they have moved or will move away from Dubuque, taking these assets with them. If everyone decided to set aside a portion of their estate in community endowments, a significant amount could be invested in our region forever. Even something small, like 5%, could have a major impact. 

But what types of community investments make the most sense? That’s where the Community Foundation comes in. Meeting in person and confidentially with Johni, community members clarify their personal values and charitable goals, ultimately creating a plan that can complement their work with their current professional advisor.

“We really look at building our legacy for our family and our legacy for our community as synergistic; you don’t have to look at those two things as different,” Jordan says. “When we initially talked about having kids, we came up with our ‘Fullan family core values,’ and they are the same ones we apply to our community: Growth mindset, perseverance and resilience, and connectedness.” 

Jordan and Michael are not alone in wanting to take care of their family and their community. Through Johni’s confidential estate planning process, families have committed to leaving legacies for the Dubuque region totaling more than $40 million. These gifts will ensure the region has the resources it needs to tackle whatever comes its way. 

“It takes work to be a great community, and you can’t do it all on your own,” Michael says. “You need to bring people along and inspire people to multiply their efforts.” 

“That ties me back to my grandma,” Jordan adds. “She left a profound impact on me, and all she did was bring me along. And then, magic happens.”