Philanthropy is alive and well in Midland.
And two women who have played a key role in shaping the philanthropic and Midland’s non-profit community over multiple decades are Eileen Piwetz and Lael Cordes-Pitts. Most recently, they headed two of the more recognized foundations in Midland – Piwetz the executive director at the F. Marie Hall (FMH) Foundation and Cordes-Pitts at the Henry Foundation.
In Midland, foundations are part of the community fabric, and their giving matters every bit as much (if not more) to nonprofits and entities as much as the generous philanthropy provided by oil companies and those working in the oil industry.
Cordes-Pitts estimates there are 66-70 foundations in Midland alone. Their roots not only come from those who struck it rich in oil – like Jim Henry, the patriarch of the Henry Foundation – but the “entrepreneurial” types that care about their community.
“They wanted to find a way to reach out,” Cordes-Pitts said. “Foundations are one way to do that. … Community foundations provided an opportunity to do that with a planned approach.”
As both Piwetz and Cordes-Pitts stated, Abell-Hanger Foundation set the standard for all other foundations in Midland to follow. Interestingly, former Abell-Hanger Executive Director David Smith was the architect of the rise of permanent philanthropy in Midland. From the blueprint that Abell-Hanger created came others, including Scharbauer, the Permian Basin Area Foundation, Warren Charitable and another pair — FMH and Henry, two that have already made an impact in a short period of time. Piwetz and Cordes-Pitts made sure of that, and that is why the Reporter-Telegram is celebrating them as its “Persons of the Year.”
Previous Reporter-Telegram Organization/Persons of the year include the Permian Basin Gives fundraiser last year, Midland Habitat for Humanity, the West Texas Food Bank, Midland County Public Libraries and Bob Fu of China Aid.
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Florence Marie Hall established her foundation in 2011 and made Piwetz its first executive director. Piwetz had a health care background, working for hospitals, medical facilities and colleges in Houston, Odessa, Andrews and Tyler before coming to Midland-Odessa in 1981. She joined Midland College soon after, serving in several positions including Nursing instruction, Division chair of the Midland College Health Sciences Division, vice president of Institutional Advancement and Effectiveness as well as the executive director of the Midland College Foundation.
It was through her work at the Midland College Foundation that Piwetz met Hall.
“Her primary interest areas — and what we do today — are health care, the visual and performing arts, community projects and cultural arts,” Piwetz said. “And we only fund agencies with a presence (in the area).”
Hall died in 2017, Piwetz said, and what the foundation could accomplish “changed immensely” because the funds from her estate made the foundation more capable.
“It was dramatic,” Piwetz said. “We could do a lot of things in areas she wanted to fund. One of the first places was Midland Memorial Hospital. We talked to (Midland Health CEO) Russell Meyers. He was a visionary, always on task.”
This year, it was announced that Florence Marie Hall and the FMH Foundation made contributions — totaling more than $20 million — to enhance health care in Midland since 2003. That included around $18 million for the ninth-floor project at Midland Memorial Hospital that provided 48 additional rooms, equipped with critical care equipment, something that has been key during the COVID pandemic.
FMH also funded construction of the Midland Community Healthcare Services pediatric clinic on the third floor of the Midland Memorial Hospital West Campus. Fittingly, Midland Health announced the west campus, 4214 Andrews Highway, is now the F. Marie Hall Outpatient Center.
There are countless other examples of FMH’s philanthropy, including along “A” Street near Wadley Avenue, where COM Aquatics’ $8 million swim center is known as the “FMH Foundation Natatorium.”
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Not long after Piwetz took the position at FMH Foundation, Jim Henry sought to staff his foundation, which was still in its infancy. He went with a veteran of Midland’s non-profit community. Cordes-Pitts moved to Midland in the 1980s and soon joined Casa de Amigos, which helps people “help themselves” through adult and youth education, social services, health and senior services programs. In her more than 26 years there, the staff grew from around “10 to 12” to 30 and its budget increased from about $184,000 to $1.5 million.
Cordes-Pitts viewed working as Casa de Amigos as social ministry and saw the opportunity to be the executive director at Henry Foundation as a “great responsibility.” Leading a foundation, she said, is about making decisions about donor intent and having the most impact possible with funds provided.
Cordes-Pitts talked about the opportunities for funders – whether foundations or businesses – to come together on “collaborative projects.” That was seen as Henry played a part in key projects involving the school district and nonprofits in general. Henry Foundation provided stipends for Midland ISD staff during a time when housing costs were soaring in Midland. Henry also joined Abell-Hanger Foundation and Scharbauer Foundation in the funding of Midland Shared Spaces, a non-profit center that provides quality, affordable resources and workspace for around 15 organizations in Midland County.
Other collaborative education projects included the creation of Educate Midland and the funding required to bring IDEA Public Schools to Midland.
Through Lael’s leadership and collaborative spirit, a milestone was reached in 2021,” the Henry Foundation reported. “The foundation turned 15 years in 2021 and brought the foundation giving to a total of $25 million. During Cordes-Pitts’ tenure at the foundation from 2012-2021, she would oversee a total of 851 grants awarded.”
Organizations helped, according to Cordes-Pitts, including those involved in Permian Basin literacy efforts and health and human services. Those organizations impacted included Bynum School, The Field’s Edge, the Midland Rape Crisis and Children’s Advocacy Center, Opportunity Park and the Bush Tennis Center.
Cordes-Pitts also established the “Next Gen Board,” – working with the Henry’s three oldest grandchildren and guiding them through the process of grantmaking.
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2021 is the year that Piwetz and Cordes-Pitts turned over the reins to their respective foundations. Retirement has come calling.
Piwetz expects to be a “global nomad” and travel anywhere that will take her. She said she will remain on the FMH board for life and serve on the foundation’s Grants Committee.
Cordes-Pitts expects to stay hopeful about Midland and its non-profit scene, serving wherever she is needed. Like Piwetz, it is hard to imagine Cordes-Pitts not being involved.
As for Midland’s foundations, they both expect the foundations to make Midland different than most cities its size. They added the Permian Strategic Partnership to the list of entities that can make large-scale donations that have an immediate impact for health care, housing, education, workforce and the arts.
“Philanthropy is alive and well,” Cordes-Pitts said.