Pictured from left: Tina, Erin, Cliff, Jamie and Mark Oelschlager. The Oelschlagers used a gift of appreciated mutual fund shares to establish the Mark and Tina Oelschlager Family Fund and support the Centers of Excellence initiative at Akron Children’s.
As the founders of Oelschlager Investments, Mark and Tina Oelschlager know the importance of investing for long-term success.
It’s a strategy that has paid off in the financial markets. And now, the couple is using those appreciated assets to invest in the future of Akron Children’s – through a donation to our Centers of Excellence initiative.
A family tradition
Supporting Akron Children’s has become a time-honored custom in the Oelschlager family. Mark’s father, Jim Oelschlager, and his wife Vanita have passionately championed our hospital’s mission and vision for decades.
“I remember making my first gift to Akron Children’s about 25 years ago as part of a hospital campaign,” said Mark, whose family was matching donations at the time.
When Mark and Tina married in 2008, they both agreed the family should continue that tradition of generosity. The couple became regular donors to our hospital, and Mark has served on the Akron Children’s Foundation board of directors for the past 12 years.
“Jim and Vanita have been a model of giving,” said Tina. “Now, we want to set that same example for our kids.”
Advancing patient care
Recently, the couple decided to take their support of our hospital to the next level, using a gift of appreciated mutual fund shares to establish the Mark and Tina Oelschlager Family Fund.
Their donation will support our Centers of Excellence initiative, which invests in areas where Akron Children’s is a recognized leader and innovator. The vision is to establish these centers as the preferred choice for families in Ohio and beyond due to exceptional outcomes, advanced care and an outstanding patient- and family-centered experience.
“This initiative allows our hospital to invest in medical specialties where we’ve already garnered national recognition – our Spine, Mitochondrial and Vision Centers,” said Craig McGhee, chief ambulatory officer at Akron Children’s. “Through their generosity, Mark and Tina are helping us assemble an exceptionally high concentration of expertise in these areas.”
“We want to support the hospital staff in doing great work,” explained Tina. “But it can also elevate the reputation of Akron Children’s, making it even more of a destination.”
The couple hopes their gift also inspires others to invest in the life-changing work of Akron Children’s.
“Ultimately, we wanted to make a difference in the lives of children that use Akron Children’s,” said Mark. “We’ve been fortunate, and with that we think there comes an important duty to help others. To know that your gift is helping a child get back to what they love to do, that is as rewarding as it gets.”
Help make Akron Children’s the premier provider of pediatric care in your community – and beyond. Contact Brian Hollingsworth, senior major gifts officer, at 330-543-3826 or bhollingsworth@akronchildrens.org to learn more.
