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Tom Lee Endowment

 

JBE Endowment Overview

The JBE endowment fund is an investment portfolio with the capital deriving from donations.  It is named after longtime JBE principal Tom Lee and provides funding via grants for strategic, cultural and curriculum initiatives not funded by the PTO or CCSD budget.  Donations and gifts to the JBE endowment can be donated in the form of cash or stock, or through bequests/dedicated and are tax-deductible.

The mission of the JBE endowment:

  • Raise and manage financial assets whose resources help students achieve their maximum academic and personal growth.
  • Provide financial and operational resources to execute on the JBE strategic plan jointly agreed to by parents and the administration.
  • Lift-up the underserved student and parent populations to bridge the academic achievement gap.

 

The endowment is managed by a board made up of volunteer parents and the funds are managed by the Coastal Community Foundation, a Charleston-based investment firm that invests the funds and generates investment earnings that support and perpetuate the mission of JBE.  

How to Participate:

Parent volunteers participate in committees to set strategic priorities with the school administration and review and approve grants that create opportunities for all students.  We have committees in Data/Information Systems, Fundraising/Sponsorships, Strategic Programming and Recruiting/Inclusion. 

We welcome all parents to be a part of the grant-making process.  If you have local connections, have an interest in marketing, sales, sponsorships, events, information systems, or best of all, have a curious personality and would like to make an impact for the school, we would love to have you as part of the endowment team. 

 

How to Give:

JBE has two endowment funds, unrestricted and restricted. 

Gifts to our unrestricted endowment provide our school with stability and flexibility and can be used for grant making.  The unrestricted endowment provides a stable source of income and it leaves the decision of how to spend that income to the endowment board to be used on strategic initiatives that benefit all students. 

Gifts to the restricted funds within our endowment provide funding now and forever to fund teaching positions, academic, social or other programs and expenses as designated by the donor. 

Donors who give to our endowment, unrestricted or restricted, leave a meaningful legacy that will perpetually support and grow the aspects of JBE that are most meaningful to them.

 

For more information, please contact Board President Alex Chalmers, alex@materialcapitalpartners.com

 

JBE Endowment Board

President:  Alex Chalmers. Alex is the founder and managing partner of Material Capital Partners, a Charleston-based alternative asset firm investing across the real estate, private equity and private credit sectors.  Alex and his wife Anna moved to Charleston 4 years ago and have 2 daughters, Ryah and Darby, currently attending JBE with their little brother on the way.  Find him on LinkedIn here.

Vice President: Barry Upbin.  Barry and his wife Anna have been in the Charleston area for six years. Their oldest son Harlan is in first grade at JBE with three more children in pre-school who will be joining him in the coming years. Barry is a Partner and Head of Community at achieve Engagement, a professional association for Human Resources professionals.  Find him on LinkedIn here.

Treasurer:  Katie (Dangerfield) Edwards.  Katie is a JBE alumni and Tom Lee was her principal all those years ago.  For the past 11 years, Katie worked on a team at Wells Fargo Advisors managing financial strategies for high-net-worth individuals and recently left to start her own Family Office Management company.  Katie and her husband Will have two daughters, Chandler and Ruthie who will both attend JBE.   Find her on LinkedIn here. 

Secretary: Alyson Amerson. Alyson and her husband, Brad, moved to Charleston 8 years ago from sunny San Diego, where she attended law school and practiced as a plaintiff's civil litigator for 8 years. Since the move east, she continues to dabble in the practice of law in various capacities. Alyson and Brad have two children, Judah and Ophelia. Judah is currently in 1st grade at JBE and Ophelia will hopefully attend the CD program next year.  Find her on LinkedIn here. 

Member: Chip Crane. Chip is a long-time resident of the Lowcountry and has been involved with JBE for close to 10 years.  Between parenting, golfing, fundraising, construction, and as a past president of the endowment, he has been a strong supporter of the school.  However, there is no doubt he is better known as “Kimberly’s husband”, as her amazing work at the JBE Greenhouse is appreciated by the entire JBE student body.  Kimberly and Chip’s children have all graced the halls of JBE.  Find him on LinkedIn here.