Our Story
Why we created the foundation — and the family whose lives it was built to change.
Why we created the foundation
Live Rich, Not Die Rich
Life is short. We believe it is better to live rich than to die rich — because wealth is merely having money, while prosperity is actually enjoying it. And true happiness, we’ve found, comes largely from helping others. There is a special kind of joy in giving during your own lifetime, so you can watch the people you love enjoy their gifts rather than leaving everything for a someday you won’t see.
But generosity has a catch. The hardest question the founder faced was how to give without undermining her children’s and grandchildren’s work ethic, autonomy, and pride in their own accomplishments. The relationship between work, life, and money is a delicate high-wire act. So every benefit here was designed with that tension in mind — built for family to actually use, without guilt and without judgment. Relax; it’s yours.
In the founder’s words
— The WBFBF Mission
What We Value
Five principles guide every decision the fund makes — and every family member it touches.
Family First
Family is of fundamental importance. We respect each other’s decisions, value each other’s expertise, welcome requests for help, communicate clearly, and keep our promises.
Lifelong Learning
A good education makes for a more stable and enjoyable life, and learning never truly stops. We treasure the chance to keep understanding the world and acquiring the knowledge our goals require.
Financial Values
We use our resources deliberately — setting careful guidelines for what to spend, what to save consistently, and what our money should ultimately be for.
Teamwork
We show up for each other, act with empathy, bring our authentic selves, and share a joint responsibility to support every member. We grow the pact not for personal gain, but for one another.
Humility
Our advantage is a blessing and a gift, not a possession to advertise. Family wealth is quiet by design — we steward it rather than flaunt it.
Honoring Our Elders
Every family stands on the shoulders of those who came before. Inheritance is not just about property — it embodies the spirit of the ancestors who built the fortune and those who preserved and passed it on. These are ours, remembered with love and a little humor.