By Renée DeMoss, OBF President

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.  The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  - Andrew Carnegie

This is the time of year that “teamwork” takes the spotlight.  What team has worked together hard enough to get to the BCS Championship game?  What team has worked together hard enough to get to the Super Bowl?  What team will be the ultimate winner this year?

One “team” that sincerely wants to win is the Oklahoma Bar Foundation.  The foundation was created by lawyers for lawyers to accomplish a very worthy goal - the attainment of legal justice and services for all Oklahomans.  One way the foundation can help accomplish this goal is to ensure that qualified legal service organizations have adequate money to operate.  Giving away money thoughtfully, however, is not always an easy task, and the foundation team works hard to consider all aspects of the charitable programs to which foundation dollars are pledged.  Through careful analysis, the foundation is able to assist a variety of organizations who are providing legal services to Oklahomans in many different areas. 

The Foundation Board of Trustees is comprised of a team of lawyers from across the state who bring all the dedication, experience and knowledge they can to the table.  Every trustee plays an important role on the team.  For example, the Grants and Awards Committee is charged with reviewing every grant request that comes in from across the state every year.  After carefully reviewing each written request, the committee conducts in-person, face-to-face interviews of the applicants to help make final determinations.  The full board votes on every grant award.  Being good stewards of foundation funds at every step of the process is a priority.

Similarly, the Finance Committee devotes extensive time to ensuring funds are managed and invested properly.  The committee recently concluded a comprehensive search for a new investment management group.  The committee examines every avenue available to maximize income and invest wisely so that foundation funds will continue to grow, and more legal services can be provided to Oklahoma citizens.

Your foundation board team continues to strive to make the best possible informed decisions and work toward the most productive future possible.  Consequently, on Jan. 11, members of the OBF Board gathered at the Sarkeys Foundation in Norman to spend a day in discussions with nationally acclaimed nonprofit governance consultant Dr. Sandra R. Hughes.

 Dr. Hughes is an expert in governance matters for nonprofit boards and senior management, and is particularly attuned to the special work of bar foundations and their members.  Prior to her work as a consultant, Dr. Hughes held a variety of senior management positions with various organizations, including Levi Strauss & Company, the Levi Strauss Foundation, the American Bar Association, the University of Tennessee, BoardSource and the United States Rowing Association.  Dr. Hughes conducts training on complex nonprofit governance projects, teamwork and effective meetings, and coordinates programs on strategic thinking, planning, organizational culture and values, and other topics.  The day spent with Dr. Hughes resulted in fresh ideas for the OBF “team” and generated even more enthusiasm for the year ahead.

The OBF’s mission is the advancement of education, citizenship and justice for all.  What that mission reflects is the belief that every Oklahoman deserves quality legal assistance.  The foundation is committed to providing legal resources to every Oklahoman in need, including children, the poor, the vulnerable and all other Oklahomans who need access to justice and understanding of the law and legal issues.

So what does this mean?  It means that the OBF team of trustees cares about what we do and it means we want to do a good job.  It means that we want you to be proud of the foundation and the work that is being done on behalf of our profession.  It means that if you have a question, comment or suggestion about foundation matters, you can contact any one of our team members and talk to them directly.