Julian Petzold
Executive Director
Valley Lutheran High School
Building futures on a strong foundation.
“Tri-Star isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions. They see the bigger picture and they see the mission as our collective focus.”
Q. You have a very clear mission here at Valley Lutheran High School…tell us about that.
A. Our mission is preparing students for life with Christ as our foundation. This encompasses a lot…from the education we provide to the values we embrace and put into practice. It also includes being fiscally responsible and financially strong. That’s why it’s great to have a partner like Tri-Star Trust.
Q. How has Tri-Star helped Valley Lutheran continually fulfill its mission?
A. Valley Lutheran has a long-standing relationship with Tri-Star. They understand our mission and are committed to helping us fulfill it. One of the primary things they’ve helped us with is the Valley Lutheran Foundation, which manages the investment and distribution of our endowment funds.
Q. Tell us more about the foundation and the role it plays.
A. Sure. The foundation was started in 1998. It was created to support the student aid fund, performing arts and athletic programs, plus other operational needs. It’s a cornerstone of our financial strength as a school.
Q. What role has Tri-Star played in growing the foundation?
A. The foundation has a solid donor base. Tri-Star has been instrumental in growing that. They’ve worked closely with us to expand our legacy and planned giving gifts. This allows us to invest in mission-critical initiatives that directly benefit our students.
Q. You’re pretty new to Valley Lutheran…how has it been working with Tri-Star?
A. I came on board in early 2020, shortly after our Capital Campaign wrapped up. I met with the team at Tri-Star pretty early on. They took the time to get to know me. They wanted to know what my plans and goals were. Our relationship was very important to them. That personal investment and integrity impressed me right away.
Q. What do you see for the future and how will Tri-Star help with that?
A. We’re preparing our students for life beyond high school. That takes a lot of effort and investment. Tri-Star has strongly positioned us to address our ongoing needs. We’ll be able to fulfill our mission for many years to come.
What can you expect from our charitable services team?
- Investment management — Informed asset allocation to help you invest in a way that meets your goals and avoids unnecessary costs and risks
- Governance assistance — Help with the many complex elements of philanthropic giving, including governance issues such as bylaws, fund documents, policies and procedures
- Planned giving — Current and deferred gifts are managed properly and meeting goals
- Private foundation board development — Ongoing board development, including helping board members understand their fiduciary role
- Charitable strategies — Advice/mentoring to assist you/your professional tax advisor in developing charitable gift strategies that complement your tax planning and charitable gift objectives
- Donor identification/solicitation — Training on identifying and building relationships with target donors
- Granting — Guidance on your distribution of charitable funds, including screening of potential recipients
- Marketing/education about fundraising — Seminars for prospects/donors, explaining the ways to give, and the impact of gift