Testimonials
What People Say about Richard?
David Elliott
Tremendous value to me especially through Success with Purpose. The Giving Circle allows me with limited financial resources to spread out my contributions along with others to support several causes each quarter.
You have supported through sponsorships and connections the work of the INSTITUTE for Community Impact. You have made new introductions to me as well.
Liza Krassner
There is great personal value in being part of a group of like-minded people that values community service through volunteerism and philanthropy. I appreciate hearing directly from non-profit organizations, meeting business and community leaders, and making new friends along the way.
Marla Noel
I truly appreciate Richard Ward's assistance with my investments. I asked Richard to follow up with me quarterly to "inspect what I expect". When it comes to your investments, you should know where you are and how your gain or loss compares to the market.
Richard follows through and ensures we have a discussion quarterly. He understands what is important to me regarding my retirement needs. I applaud Richard for his Success with Purpose organization. I think his highlighting so many non-profits is a game changer for organizations working to improve lives.
Matt O'Connell
Several years ago, my wife Ana and I began conversations with Richard to plan our second half of life. Up to this point, our conversations with Richard most revolved around optimizing our wealth and ensuring we would have enough to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.
Now after thirty years of work, we were not independently wealthy, but with Richard’s guidance, had accumulated more wealth than we had ever expected, and realized that was time to think about how we could have a different impact in the world beyond our professional work.
Richard was critical in three ways in helping us design a rewarding Second Half. First, he helped us design a giving plan. My wife and I share a commitment to an international cause, and we wanted to invest an important part of our wealth into the work of an organization we were passionate about. Richard helped us optimize our giving impact without compromising our long-term financial well-being. Second, when I ‘retired’ from my professional career, Richard introduced me to serval non-profit organizations that he thought would benefit from the skills I gained after thirty years in the private sector. Through these connections, I now go to work every day contributing to an amazing organization that helps people in our community with food and shelter as they work to get back on their feet. Finally, through Ricard’s continued guidance, we have designed a second half of life that still allows us travel and plans with family and friends for the rest of our lives. We are living the Second Half we want.”
Shaheen Husain
Richard has been my sounding board as I worked with organizations in launching planned giving programs. He has also generously shared his knowledge with my nonprofit colleagues. I am grateful for his time and expertise!
Traci Shirachi
Over the years, I've known you, Richard, you support and serve others with your heart. You're what I call a go-giver because you genuinely care about the well-being and connections you make with others and fostering relationships.
There isn’t any one organization or one person or one thing you’ve done that I can point to specifically because to be honest it’s the essence of who you are and by being both a friend and mentor to me, I’ve appreciated the initiative and interest you’ve taken in my life, family, and well-being. Over the years (think we met in 2017 or 2018, it was at Working Wardrobes when I was first introduced to OC AiP). From there I remember you reached out or I had a question and we met for lunch at the Center Club, and from there you’ve been an instrumental part of life. You helped introduce us to doing work with the Center Club Cares group and together we’ve been able to support each other in philanthropy. I appreciate your heartfelt commitment to inspire and impact others lives by informing them of the opportunity to make a difference, something that I believe genuinely starts at a young child’s age (as it is something I experienced myself and the reason I’m involved and inspire and get my kids involved) because it is harder to change or influence adults.
Philanthropy is an integral part of culture, community, and values. Without it, we demonstrate that community and humanity or the well being of others is not important to us as individuals and are otherwise self-centered and selfish individuals who go to where we are only on our own. The opposite is in fact true, each of us got to where we are not by the pure effort of ourselves but the servitude of others and those who also helped us along the way.
Thus it is with this point, that I thank you for helping each of us to continue to remember such and for your friendship and mentorship. I’m grateful to know you and call you friend and mentor. Again you set an example of intergenerational influence and relationship as part of a community that is integral to all of us and the community. Grateful for such because it is lacking in so many folks lives and yet many of my wiser friends and individuals I know are those you’ve interested me to directly.
The Centurians or movie on Netflix points to the importance and significance of intergenerational relationships and the contributions each makes to society and community, so thank you for such which goes beyond philanthropy.
Jay O'Connell
Following Richard’s advice and steady hand has allowed me to retire earlier than I thought I could. His focus not only on financial stability but also on giving back reminded me how fortunate I have been and the importance of giving back to my community.
Nicole Suydam
Richard is one of the best connectors in our community. He's gone out of his way to introduce me to companies and people who can help my organization. His recent launch of the Success with Giving giving circle, is another way he connects good people in the community with good causes that need more awareness and resources to grow their missions. I'm grateful for the opportunity to partner with Richard to make our community a better place to live and work.
Pat Cherpeski
When I retired, I wanted to be more involved with helping nonprofits in my community but wasn’t sure where to start. Richard’s connections and involvement in so many nonprofit causes was the perfect introduction for me to learn more and find nonprofits that best suit my experience and interests.
Richard has been our financial advisor for close to 30 years. He keeps us on track with our goals and has been successful at managing and making our portfolio grow over the years. We would not have been able to retire and live the lifestyle we dreamed of if it wasn’t for Richard’s knowledge and dedication to his clients.
Matt Todsen
I've greatly enjoyed the exposure to different nonprofits through Success with Purpose's events. Some organizations were familiar to me while others were new, but it was incredibly valuable to learn about their diverse areas of focus. Success with Purpose does an excellent job curating a mix of impactful nonprofits to participate.
Another highlight has been the opportunity to visit with like-minded individuals who share a commitment to giving back and investing in our community. It’s always wonderful to catch up with friends and colleagues in this more informal setting before and after the events.
Overall, Success with Purpose’s gatherings have been a terrific use of my time and resources. I look forward to continuing to engage with this community of philanthropic leaders.
Bonni Pomush
Your words at Thursday’s celebration were a true gift. You captured not only your personal journey with Working Wardrobes but also the essence of what it means to leave a legacy with purpose. Your blend of heartfelt insight, sharp humor, and genuine connection had us listening, laughing, and leaning in. And your invitation to join our Legacy Society struck exactly the right chord—gracious, tactful, and compelling.
Thanks to your message, several attendees shared that they’ve already included Working Wardrobes in their plans (and we didn’t even know!), while others made new commitments on the spot. That is real impact AND exceeding our annual goal for new commitments. Congratulations!
Thank you for being a storyteller, a steward, and a spark for our future.
Revoltion Office
At Revolution Office, partnering with Success with Purpose as a sponsor has been a powerful and rewarding experience. Richard Ward has created more than a network; he’s built a movement of leaders who believe success should not only be measured by results, but also by the impact we make along the way.
This community connects purpose-driven professionals who are committed to using their resources, relationships, and platforms to create real, lasting change. Sponsoring Success with Purpose isn’t just philanthropic – it’s an opportunity to lead with meaning, align with like-minded changemakers, and help shape a better future for the next generation of leaders.
If you’re looking to elevate your impact while surrounding yourself with value-driven leaders, there’s no better place to start.