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Alumnus wants to make a difference and hopes to inspire others to do the same

Steve Anderson earned his B.A. in economics from the University of Northern Iowa in 1988, but it almost didn’t happen.

“I remember the dreaded phone call from my parents,” said Anderson. “The mid ‘80s were bad economic times, and I was in my sophomore year at UNI. They told me there was no money to continue my education.”

“The mid ‘80s were bad economic times, and I was in my sophomore year at UNI. They told me there was no money to continue my education.”

That news spurred Anderson to make a life-altering decision: leave college or find a way to continue. He credits two professors for giving him the skills to make that decision. Mahmood Yousefi and Janet Reeves taught him how to think creatively as well as critically and how to weigh risk versus reward. They also gave him much-needed encouragement to continue his education.

Those early financial struggles are what inspired Anderson to designate an estate gift to the UNI Foundation to create an endowed economics scholarship. Now he hopes to motivate his peers to see the importance of helping talented and financially needy students—the kind of student he once was. “Once people understand the issues, they are more apt to take action,” he said.

As a leader in the financial services industry, Anderson is a strategic thinker with a strong desire to make an impact. The senior executive vice president and national sales manager for Waddell & Reed, Inc., uses critical thinking skills every day in his position, overseeing the company’s national network of financial advisors dedicated to their clients’ financial needs. He also is responsible for overall field sales management, recruiting and training efforts, and ongoing product and sales support.

Anderson consistently encourages his team to think outside the box. “At one training session, I asked the field sales leaders to write their own eulogy. It was a fascinating exercise and we learned something very important. Each of us wanted to be remembered as a great friend and someone who made a difference. We had that in common.”

The combination of that epiphany and his early struggles was a catalyst for Anderson’s philanthropic endeavors. In addition, his actions reflect the values instilled in him as a young boy growing up in Iowa—hard work and helping others.

Anderson summed it up by saying, “In the investment business, we often keep score with commas and zeros, but at the end of the day it’s all about the good work we do and the positive impact we make.”

Imagine a Tuba Serenade

“Hail, hail, the gang’s all here.” Indeed, it was. The tuba section of the University of Northern Iowa Marching Band bellowed the jolly song on Bill Hansen’s front lawn in October 2003. The ensemble was honoring Hansen for his planned estate gift to benefit UNI’s band programs.

“The surprise was more special because I played the tuba in junior high, as well as the East Green Bay (Wisconsin) High School band, pep bands and a North Side businessmen’s band,” Hansen said that day.x

Hansen became a Panther fan when he married UNI alumna Mary Haskell-Hansen in 1979, living most of his married life in Cedar Falls.

He often imagined the impact he could have on UNI music students. Before his death in 2008, he made another planned gift to the UNI Foundation to establish the William P. Hansen Endowment for the Bands. His legacy provides scholarships for instrumental students; awards for an instrumental music major who intends to be a band director; the development of new music resources; and resources for travel, guest artists and conductors, and instrument and music replacement.

Hansen’s gift supports the university’s Imagine the Impact campaign, which seeks $150 million to enhance scholarships and programs.

“We are so grateful to Bill. His gift will make a tremendous impact on our band programs,” said Danny Galyen, director of UNI’s marching and symphonic bands. “Costs are rising and the number of talented students interested in participating in the UNI band program is growing, which means funding for student scholarships, equipment, travel and music is needed now more than ever.”

Read more about Mary and Bill Hansen at UNI’s Planned Giving Web site, www.unicompass.com.