Bennett Wolf Sets an Example for Others

With dedication that spans 20 years as an LAJH Board member and includes a legacy gift toward the future of LAJH, Bennett Wolf sets a wonderful example for others to follow.

Bennett moved from Iowa to California in 1944 and received his B.S. in Business Administration from U.C. Berkeley. He spent 33 years at Dial Financial Corporation, a company started by his grandfather in 1896. "Many family members were involved in the company," Bennett states, "including my father, brother, two uncles, a cousin, and later, my son, nephew and niece." After retiring, Bennett and his brother, Don, turned their efforts to B&D Management. "We began by helping manage the financial affairs of various family members," Bennett says, "and then branched out to help some others."

Bennett's two-decade involvement with LAJH has also been quite charitable. He and his family dedicated a sculpture, "Flat People", on the Grancell campus in 1993, and made a substantial gift to the soon-to-be opened Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, naming the "Hollywood" neighborhood. In addition, they recently established a charitable remainder trust, naming LAJH as the principal beneficiary. Bennett's reasons for creating the CRT were numerous. "There were a variety of benefits to establishing this trust," he says. "It enabled me to make a much larger gift than the one I had previously named in my will; I was able to use low-cost securities to produce a greater income; and it ensured that my wife would have income to replace the pension that will cease when I pass away."

Bennett sets a wonderful example of commitment to family as well. He and his wife, Sue, have been married for over 50 years. They have three children: Teresa, David (Karen) and Brian (Jennifer) and three granddaughters.

Bennett's life story demonstrates dedication to his profession, his family, and his community. We are proud to have Bennett Wolf as a longtime member of LAJH family.