Family Donor Stories

David, Barb, Al and Elizabeth Siemer

The Siemer Family

Al and Barb Siemer are not natives of Columbus, but in the two decades they have lived here, both their business and their children have grown significantly.  The growth of their business has provided the resources for the Siemer Family Foundation. Combining the entrepreneurial spirit of their family with an interest in education inspired by Barb’s early career as an English teacher, the Siemers have set the stage for their philanthropic future.  The growth of their children, Elizabeth and David, has led Al and Barb to the stage of empty nesthood in the years since their Foundation was created.

The Siemer Family Foundation may be the organized structure for the family’s giving, but it’s the conversations during family visits and holidays that often inspire greater family involvement in philanthropy.  During one recent conversation, Barb encouraged  her children to think of their own giving interests and make suggestions for distributions.  Since the Foundation isn’t limited geographically in its grantmaking, the geographic dispersion of the Siemer Family doesn’t limit the family giving opportunities.