Late Howard Payne’s estate donates $500k to RLC Foundation, new scholarships

INA, Ill. (Feb. 5, 2016) - The late Howard Payne was truly a legacy at Rend Lake College, thus it is only fitting he becomes the first member of the recently-established Legacy Society with the RLC Foundation. The Benton native passed away last year at the age of 100, but is continuing to give back to his community and the college in the form of an estate gift.

At the end of last year, RLC Foundation CEO Shawna Bullard was informed of Payne’s exact donation - $500,000 to go toward student scholarships. This planned gift came from a portion of Payne’s estate he left to the college after his passing in May of 2015. Bullard explained this type of donation makes Payne the first individual to join the Jim & Carole Mounier Legacy Society.

Payne’s $500,000 donation will create an endowment for two scholarships, one for students in RLC’s nursing program and another for students in the college’s vocational programs. Officially called the Howard L. Payne Scholarship, the first awards will be presented in the Fall of 2016. Bullard said the scholarship will generate about $25,000 in scholarships every year.

“The establishment of the Jim and Carole Legacy Society was incredibly impactful in its educational benefits, just as Howard’s legacy gift is,” said Bullard. “It encourages people to consider RLC students in their wills and estates, while giving them a sense of security that others before them have left similar, life-changing gifts that very clearly define their faith in the Foundation’s leadership, its mission, and its ability to carry out the donor’s wishes.”

The donation is another part in Payne’s life-long involvement with the Foundation. In November of 1979, he was among several notable individuals at the RLC Foundation organizational meeting. During the evening, this new board of directors established the Foundation to support the college, and Payne was elected Vice President by the other directors. It was just his first step in supporting the college for more than three decades.

Howard Payne, CENTER, takes a photo with retired RLC President Mark Kern and his wife Pat, retired RLC Foundation CEO, on his 100th birthday last year. Payne worked closely with the Kerns during his time on the RLC Foundation Board. Click on the image for a larger view.

Jumping back 40 years, Payne started on his path to becoming a successful banker and leader in his community by attending Southern Illinois University, then a teaching school, and working in a one-room schoolhouse. By July of 1937, he and a group of local bankers formed the Bank of Benton, from where he would retire in 1984 as the CEO and chairman of the board.

Payne was also a proud veteran, having served in France and Germany during World War II from 1943 to December of 1945. He and his wife Helene were known widely around Southern Illinois for their involvement in an endless list of community organizations, projects, and charities.

In the past few years until his passing, he served as an Emeritus member of the RLC Foundation Board of Directors and was named a recipient of the RLC Presidential Award in 1995 - the first year it was awarded. Bullard said with a résumé as long as Payne’s, it’ll be impossible to replace the support and dedication he brought to the table.

“Howard was very devoted to the Foundation and his church. He wanted for the RLC Foundation to continue in its mission: helping RLC students and making higher education not only attainable, but affordable,” said Bullard. “He was very active on the board during several Foundation projects, and he was very helpful when it came to financial experience and investing. He believed strongly in scholarships, and that was where he focused his resources.”

Payne’s estate gift, also known as a bequest, tends to be the largest gifts the Foundation receives, said Bullard. With the help of an attorney, an individual can designate their estate or a portion of their estate to be made to the college in their will or trust. In addition to Payne’s donation, the RLC Foundation recently announced another, future bequest from the Legacy Society’s namesakes.

At the RLC Foundation Annual Dinner in December, the 2014 Alumnus of the Year Jim Mounier and his wife Carole, announced their decision to bequest a portion of their estate to the college. Already totaling a value of seven figures and growing, the donation marks the largest-ever donation to the RLC Foundation.

“When sitting down with Jim and Carole and working through their estate gift, I stressed several times the impact they would be making with this life-changing gift and the establishment of the legacy society,” said Bullard. “The story they’re telling through this gift is something so significant that you hear it and it makes you feel something. Our hope is that people feel encouraged to get on board with making a difference, and seeing the change they can make in our students lives.”

Jim Mounier is honored at the 2015 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Convention in Schaumberg as the RLCF Alumnus of the Year. He is pictured with his wife Carole, LEFT, and RLCF CEO Shawna Bullard. Click on the image for a larger view.

Jim Mounier, a 1972 graduate of RLC and resident of Caledonia, is currently the Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch in Rockford. He came to Southern Illinois from Indiana during his high school years and graduated from Mt. Vernon Township High School. At RLC, Mounier focused on a mathematics degree before transferring to Illinois State University (ISU).

After graduating from ISU in 1974, Mounier worked in construction for about a decade before making the leap back into the world of finance, where he has been for the last 30 years. In his spare time, Mounier maintains several apartment buildings and has published a book. Together, Jim and Carole enjoy golfing and volunteering with a number of organizations and businesses in northern Illinois.

If there’s one thing the Mouniers and Payne have in common other than the Legacy Society, it’s that they both are dedicated to ensuring the college and Foundation continue to support students in need.

“Both the Mouniers and Howard are paving the way for others to find the joy of giving, and that’s a beautiful gift aside from their financial contributions,” added Bullard. “I can say right now it’s working, as I’ve received several calls from estate attorneys and accountants on behalf of clients wanting to know the specifics for leaving a planned gift to the RLCF since the announcement. That is powerful, that’s influential, and that’s generosity on several different levels.”

Scholarship applications are still being accepted for next fall, through Sunday, Feb. 28. To apply for the Howard L. Payne Scholarship, and approximately 300 others, visit www.rlc.edu/rlcf to complete the single-page application. Applications will be accepted after the due date; however, preference will be given to students who meet the due date.

Every year, approximately $450,000 is awarded to RLC students through Foundation scholarships. Over 500 scholarships and academic awards that generally range from $500 to $1,500 annually are made possible by generous, local businesses, and individuals.

More information on how to apply can be found at www.rlc.edu/foundation or by contacting the Foundation at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1214.