Working in the financial and wealth management industry, Chris Burque brings an insightful and compassionate investor’s eye to his philanthropic involvement with United Way and the community.
For nearly two decades, Chris has worked in investments at Merrill Lynch as a wealth management advisor and senior vice president of wealth management. He first got involved with United Way through Merrill Lynch’s employee giving campaign, which Chris sees as an important and celebrated part of the company’s culture.
Over time, Chris furthered his involvement with United Way—providing great leadership to the Corporate Campaigns Committee, leading outreach strategies for the investment, accounting, legal, engineering and architecture industries. Chris also served on the Finance Committee and is now chairing the Planned Giving and Endowment Committee.
From a philanthropic investment perspective, Chris likens United Way to building a portfolio of investments. “What I like about United Way is it’s an organization with scale, that makes well-researched investments in the community and then holds the organizations it invests in accountable to solve real problems in the community,” Chris said.
Chris and his wife Jill recently joined the Legacy Society by making a planned gift at the Tocqueville Legacy Circle giving level. In making a planned gift to United Way, Chris said he and Jill felt confident in the organization’s impact and longevity. “It’s an organization from a planned giving standpoint that’s going to be around and evolve to meet the needs in the community,” he said.
The couple views this gift as a reflection of their values as a family. Chris explains that their generosity was inspired by their desire to make a long-term impact in the community with a gift that not only offers value but also sustainability.
“An endowment gift is great because it’s a gift that doesn’t just give now, but it gives forever—and it’s a growing gift, which is just awesome,” Chris said.
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