Mike Shain loves people and loves making them laugh, including everyone he meets while delivering Meals on Wheels or serving on the board of United Ministries. Any conversation can veer into a funny story, often at his own expense.
Shain said he came late to community involvement, inspired by the generosity of his parents and his wife, Michelle Shain, who worked with several nonprofits and was president of the Junior League. She went on to serve on Greenville City Council and as interim executive director of the Community Foundation of Greenville, the YWCA and A Child’s Haven, and was the first director of Greenville First Steps.
“I told myself I didn’t have time, that Michelle was doing it for both of us,” he said. “Volunteering with United Way became my conduit to becoming involved, dealing with the real needs of people.”
The father of three and grandfather of six recently retired from a distinguished career as an investment advisor with UBS Financial Services. But the two accomplishments he’s most proud of involved serving the community: chairing United Way of Greenville’s 2001 annual campaign, and helping his friend and client, Margaret Linder Southern, create an endowment that would help meet local needs in perpetuity.
Shain met Southern, a former teacher, in 1993. He advised her on the investment of assets she had saved with her late husband, Charles. Over the years, Shain earned her trust, and the two celebrated with champagne and cookies whenever her account reached a new milestone. He learned what was important to her, especially her dogs — Nancy, who had died, and Molly.
“Molly was jealous and would bark so much whenever we had phone calls that Margaret had to put her out in the garage in her ’85 Cadillac,” Shain said.
When it was time to make estate plans, Southern knew she wanted to support animal welfare and disadvantaged children, and asked Shain what she should do. Thanks to his wife’s previous work with the Community Foundation of Greenville, Shain knew that its board and staff had the expertise to manage a legacy to make the greatest impact. With the help of Tod Hyche, CFG board member and attorney, Southern planned for the foundation to establish and administer an endowment in her name.
Shain estimated the value of the proposed bequest to be about $4 million. At Southern’s death in 2012, her gift had grown to $8.4 million, the largest in CFG’s history. Half of the fund’s annual distributions go to the Greenville Humane Society and the other half to services benefiting children and youth.
Bob Morris, CFG president, said Southern’s gift wouldn’t have been possible without Shain’s relationships with her and local philanthropic organizations.
“It’s important to have advisors like Mike engaged in the work of the Community Foundation so that together we can help our clients meet their charitable goals. He thoroughly vetted our services before recommending that Mrs. Southern engage us to make grant awards that continued her financial support long after her lifetime,” Morris said. “His volunteer leadership as a nonprofit board member will continue well into the future.”
