 |
|
Latest News
Hoag Cancer Center Awarded Outstanding Achievement Award By
The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons
More
International Expert in Breast Cancer Surgery Joins Hoag Hospital
More
|
|
|
A legacy of generosity thrives through a dedicated trustee
When real estate lawyer Scott Pollard talks about Winslow Maxwell, it’s almost as if he is carried back in time, recounting cherished memories of a business associate-cum-friend who was devoted to living life to the fullest. Though Mr. Pollard is a number of years Mr. Maxwell’s junior, the two shared a camaraderie and bond that extended past his role as Mr. Maxwell’s real estate lawyer. Through many years of working lunches that always ended in a game of “liars poker,” a formidable friendship was forged. Mr. Pollard, who serves as trustee of Mr. Maxwell’s charitable trust, shared his memories of Win (as he is called by Mr. Pollard), and from these stories, an image took shape of a vibrant man who celebrated life and gave generously to further the ability of others to do the same.
Winslow Maxwell, a Southern California native and graduate of Pomona College, is described by Mr. Pollard as a Renaissance man with an entrepreneurial spirit. After serving in World War II, the young soldier returned home and set his sights on the real estate business of the then burgeoning San Fernando Valley. Starting first as a sign painter at Coldwell Banker in his younger years, he eventually moved up the ladder and had a great deal of success in commercial real estate transactions. “Win saw the boom out there and was a very tenacious as a broker,” says Mr. Pollard. “In everything he did, Win was focused on the end results. Whether it was in real estate deals or anything else, he wanted to see direct results as quickly as possible.”
As Mr. Maxwell’s trustee, Mr. Pollard applies this same philosophy when considering the gifts he makes on behalf of the trust, which is one of the primary reasons he continues to support Hoag Hospital. “[Win] had a great affinity for Hoag. He was treated at Hoag Cancer Center for lung cancer, and I know that he would be proud of the work Dr. Dillman is doing,” acknowledges Mr. Pollard. “He really wasn’t much of a ‘brick and mortar’ person, relative to his donations – he didn’t want to see his name on buildings. The idea that you are able to positively affect or extend someone’s quality of life would be very significant to him, which is why his primary philanthropic interests were in medical research and education.”
The Maxwell Trust has provided more than $1.1 million to Hoag Hospital over the last nine years. The generous gifts have been directed to the cell biology lab at Hoag Cancer Center for the purchase of new technology, and in the future, will also support Hoag Heart and
Vascular Institute.
Another major beneficiary of the Maxwell trust is Santa Barbara City College, where a scholarship is given in his name. Having lived in the Santa Barbara area for some time, Mr. Maxwell felt strongly about contributing to the organization. Mr. Maxwell had a number of residences in the Los Angeles area, but finally settled in Orange County, where he purchased a portion of property on the Balboa peninsula from his former prep school classmate, George Hoag, Jr., and built a house adjacent to that of the hospital’s namesake.
Throughout his lifetime and even in his later years, Mr. Maxwell maintained an active lifestyle filled with world travel, entertaining friends, tennis and bodysurfing. He kept his friends very close, and was “a great host and the life of the party,” remembers Mr. Pollard. “He had this magnetism and unbelievably infectious energy that made him very good with people.”
Mr. Pollard’s trusteeship over the Maxwell trust has had an indelible impact on his own life. “Seeing things happen, whether it is on the medical front or seeing the look on a kid’s face whose life has been changed because of scholarship money - it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” beams Mr. Pollard. Acting as trustee has also become a way for Mr. Pollard to continue to honor his long-time friend. “I get a lot of satisfaction in knowing that Win is still doing good for people, because that was always his goal,” says Mr. Pollard. “His generosity will ultimately be his legacy, and again, not in name, but in deeds and results, which is exactly what he would want.”
|
|
|