Jerry Hicks: Giving Back to the Program That ‘Made Me Who I Am’

Inspired by an aptitude test that suggested he might make a good accountant, Jerry Hicks (Accounting, ’75) applied to Fort Lewis College because of the institution’s accounting major. As a first-generation college student, Hicks said access to faculty and small classes provided more than academic support.

“It was like meeting with a counselor,” Hicks recalled. “I didn’t know what was expected, so it was helpful for me to feel like my professors knew me.”

Hicks joined the Fort Lewis Business Club and developed relationships with local business leaders. He enjoyed two successful summer internships and said these experiences gave him a sense of “the real world.” After graduation, he earned his bank examiner commission with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Hicks eventually moved to San Diego, where he worked for 40 years in financial services and retired as chief financial officer of a credit union in 2013.

In retirement, Hicks has volunteered with nonprofits and completed three marathons. Last year, at 68 years old, he had a heart attack.

“You never know what fate has in store,” Hicks said. “This was a wake-up call for me. It changed my life. It got me thinking about my estate.”

Hicks made FLC the beneficiary of his nearly $1 million retirement portfolio. The money will support FLC’s Katz School of Business Impact Fund.

“Fort Lewis College had a big impact on my career,” Hicks said. “I always felt more qualified for any job I took because of the small-school experience with professors who truly cared about my success. They weren’t easy on us, but their toughness was always meant to make us do better. When I got to the real world, I realized what an advantage that was. I wanted to give back to the program that helped me become who I am.”

Pay It Forward

Like Jerry, you can help future students have a transformative experience at FLC through your estate plan. To learn more about your planned giving options, contact Dave Kerns ’03 at 970-247-7427 or kerns_d@fortlewis.edu today.