When Walter Hale reflects on the importance of planned giving, he tells a story of his daughter’s visit to the Sistine Chapel in high school. Virginia was awe-struck by Michelangelo’s masterpiece and the enduring impression his art left on her. Not surprisingly, Virginia then turned to dreaming of her own impact. What would she do that would matter? His daughter’s probing questions resonated with Hale; he wondered the same thing – what would be his legacy? 

Sadly, it took a tragedy for Hale to answer this question. In 2003 Hale’s son Patrick died unexpectedly. In response, the Hale family started the Patrick Hale Scholarship and the P. Hale Golf Tournament in Patrick’s memory. As Hale has written, “I have also been deeply touched by the love and kindness of the many people who have supported the Patrick Hale Scholarship at MBA and the Patrick Hale Golf Tournament. I saw the power of hundreds of donations being pooled together that would make a large and lasting impact. It became clear that I could create a lasting legacy by investing in young people at MBA who would become future leaders — making a difference in numerous fields and disciplines, giving back to their own communities, and passing on the values of "Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete".

While the Patrick Hale Scholarship and Golf Tournament are annual events for the Hale Family, Hale’s legacy gift will be made through his membership in the James Robertson Society. Hale explains that “one doesn’t have to have the talents of Michelangelo or the coffers of a Warren Buffet to create a lasting and meaningful legacy. The James Robertson Society is a group of individuals who have committed to planned giving through their estates. Planned giving is one of the most effective vehicles for creating a lasting legacy that will affect multiple lives and reach further than any single individual could. I am very pleased to be a member of this group.”