Legacy Giving
The Legacy Tier of the Champions of Chamber major donors' circle has been established for those generous individuals who name MCT as a beneficiary in their estate plans.
Including MCT in your will, life insurance policy or retirement fund can translate into:
significant income tax deduction
avoidance of long-term capital gains tax
reduction in estate and gift taxes
To devise a legacy gift plan that works best for your needs, we suggest you seek the help of a financial advisor or an attorney who specializes in estate planning.
To notify MCT of inclusion in your estate plans or learn more about how your planned gift can benefit MCT, contact Director of Development, Meghan Roesner.
Planned Giving Profile: John E. Holland and Konrad K. Kuchenbach
John and Konrad with MCT co-founder Ruth Schudson
Legacy Tier "Champs" John Holland and Konrad Kuchenbach have been partners for over 40 years, and performing arts devotees for even longer. After serving nine years on the MCT board of directors, they have continued to be vital members of the MCT family. John and Konnie are two of our most loyal patrons, sponsors, volunteers, and "Friends for Life" (lifetime members of the MCT Friends).
On a chilly winter afternoon, John and Konnie visited the office to talk about why they've decided to make estate gifts to MCT.
MCT: In your mind, what makes MCT special?
JH/KK: The size and intimacy of the productions are very fitting to the Chamber name. One show that comes to mind is TRYING with Richard Halverson playing a curmudgeonly judge opposite Molly Rhode as his young secretary. But you don't always remember who or when or why; you just remember how much you enjoyed that intimate, chamber-style experience. We've met some people through MCT that have become part of our lives now. Ruth Schudson is a dear friend to us, and Robert Spencer always goes out of his way to thank us for supporting the work.
MCT: What is your favorite MCT production of all time?
JH/KK: We couldn't begin to choose a favorite. MCT has done so many fine productions over the years, with so many fine actors. We miss seeing some of them on stage, especially Bill Leach. And Durward McDonald---when you see the same role played by a different actor, you realize just how good he was.
MCT: Who are your favorite Milwaukee actors?
JH/KK: We have a few favorites, but Brian Mani has more than just acting ability; it's an underlying intelligence that brings a tremendous amount of depth to the characters he plays. His performance in A LESSON FROM ALOES was particularly moving.
MCT: Why did you decide to include MCT in your estate plans?
KK: Because we don't have children or family, we wanted to divide the inheritance among our favorite arts companies.
JH: I feel the arts have enhanced my life so much. I have difficulty imagining how I could exist without them.
KK: Live performance is so much better than going to the movies; except for The Met[ropolitan Opera] in HD!
JH: As a retired teacher, I'm not rich---I've just never been a great spender. We are most proud of the help we gave to MCT during its major budget crisis in 2005. We were as financially generous as we had the capacity to be, and made appeals to our fellow board members and donors for their help too.
John and Konrad are Champions of Chamber in every sense, and we are so grateful for their remarkable contributions to MCT. Their legacy gifts will insure the future of the company for years to come, and help us continue to realize the vision our co-founders had when MCT was created almost four decades ago.