Willmar, Minn. – The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Awards in Philanthropy. Rick & Norma Conway will be receiving the 2024 Award in Philanthropy, Johnson, Moody, Schmidt, Kleinhuizen & Zumwalt will be receiving the 2024 Community Builder Award, and the late Susan Torgerson will be receiving the 2024 Marv Otto Legacy Award. These individuals will be honored at the WACF Awards in Philanthropy Celebration that will take place on Thursday, October 10 from 5:30-9:30pm at the Willmar Conference Center. For more information and to register to attend, interested parties can visit communitygiving.org/events or call (320) 235-4380.
Rick & Norma Conway – 2024 Award in Philanthropy
The Award in Philanthropy recognizes the efforts of an individual, couple, or family who have significantly contributed to the field of philanthropy in the region—either through their personal philanthropy, their work as a volunteer, or through their work as a professional in advising their clients about philanthropy.
Rick and Norma Conway were high school sweethearts growing up in Slayton, MN nearly 60 years ago. Just kids from a small town with modest dreams. “I had no intentions of attending college,” notes Rick, “however, I did follow Norma to St. Cloud State University.” Norma earned a degree as a Physical Education teacher and Rick earned his degree in accounting. Norma recalls, “I finished my education a year before Rick, so I applied to every teaching position within 60 miles of St. Cloud and was hired in Willmar”. Rick applied to every accounting office listed in the local yellow pages for his first accounting position in Willmar. They found a community that embraced them. 52 years of marriage, four children, eight grandchildren, a thriving accounting practice and a 38-year teaching career ensued. Rick gave back to the community by serving on many community boards remarking “Serving helped us to get to know the community and to be fully engaged”. Fifty-two years later, his voice has influenced many facets of our community. Norma shaped countless lives as a teacher, but she quietly gave her time to help others. “You can’t always repay someone who helped you, but you can pay it forward to help someone else”, she shares. Rick adds “It’s personally very rewarding to see the results of your time, talents and resources and the positive impact it has on other people’s lives”.
Johnson, Moody, Schmidt, Kleinhuizen & Zumwalt, P.A. (JMSKZ) – 2024 Community Builder Award
The Community Builder Award recognizes the efforts of a company/business, an organization, or a professional advisor that has significantly contributed to the field of philanthropy in the region.
In 1959, Robert Johnson opened a small general practice law office in downtown Willmar. Sixty-five years later that firm has grown to one of the largest, full service legal practices in rural Minnesota with clients all over the country. The firm grew in the early years to include Henry Schmidt, Joe Thompson, John Lindstrom, Ron Schneider, and Bill Thompson. Together they laid the foundation for deep expertise, community engagement and a set of core values that still guide the firm today. “We are problem solvers, have a strong work ethic and commitment to helping people,” shares Tom Johnson, JMSKZ partner. Brad Schmidt, another partner adds, “Being involved in the community is integral to our firm so we are part of service clubs, non-profit boards and civic committees. We choose to support community causes because it makes this a better place for our team and our clients.” Todd Kleinhuizen notes “We want to lend our expertise when we can because it’s the right thing to do in a community that you care about.”
That team approach is core to how the partners practice law as well. “When you hire the firm, you get all of us. We work on things together, supporting one another so no one person carries the whole burden. Our team and their families are important elements to our success. We want to support their passions, help them balance life and work while having fun together too,” adds Brandon Zumwalt, partner at JMSKZ.
The late Susan Torgerson – 2024 Marv Otto Legacy Award
WACF established the Marv Otto Award after his death in 2009 and honored the first recipient in 2012. Marv Otto, a well-known Atwater resident and business leader, established endowments at the WACF to benefit the people and communities he loved. He was the kind person who would stop by the grocery store, give the clerk $100 for a certain person who he knew needed it, and ask to remain anonymous.
The Award recognizes an individual or couple who personifies Marv Otto’s spirit and strengthens the community with an endowment or irrevocable estate gift.
C. Suzanne Thomson Torgerson was widely known as Suzie. She was also known for her business skill, willingness to pitch in, her fashion flare, and her boundless generosity. During her lifetime, Suzie was an involved community member. “She would get involved everywhere,” notes daughter Lynn Johnson. “Tucson, North Carolina, Willmar…her faith led her to be active at soup kitchens, schools, and church bazaars. When she got involved, she did so with great energy and love and always gave fully, never halfway. She especially loved the Willmar area because people were so good to her.” Suzie become involved with many charitable organizations, including Safe Avenues, who recognized her with their Hope for Tomorrow award in 2012 for her leadership in making the communities safer for women and children. She left charitable legacies at the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, Rice Care Center with Suzie’s Salon for residents and many other entities via the Torgerson Family Charitable Fund at WACF.
Suzie was also widely known for her keen sense of knowing just when someone-even a stranger-needed a word of encouragement. “Mom carried red glass hearts with her every day. She’d gift one to someone saying ‘Know that you are very loved. Keep this heart to remind yourself how loved you are. When someone needs this more than you, pass it on.’ To this day our family hears stories of the red glass hearts mom gave at a moment it was most needed,” shares Lynn.
