President-elect Shoup focuses on philanthropy with a planned gift to the Society

Judith Kearney
ASME Foundation

Two of the newest members of the Foundation's Archimedes Club, Terry and Betsy Shoup, have made a gift of a single premium life insurance policy naming the ASME Foundation as the sole beneficiary.

The Archimedes Club provides recognition to friends of ASME who have made a planned gift to the ASME Foundation.

Shoup, who becomes president of ASME in July 2006 and plans to focus heavily on fundraising for the ASME Foundation, says his own concept of philanthropy is that "it is fun."

Terry Shoup

Shoup entered mechanical engineering through a love of science and mathematics that began in high school. Dreams of becoming a teacher were dashed by the realities of a teacher's salary, so he chose to realize his passion through engineering. Excellent role models won him over to mechanical engineering. Eventually, he found himself with the best of both worlds, teaching engineering at the university level, beginning at Rutgers University, where he did research along with teaching, and finally at Santa Clara University, where he rose to the position of dean.

ASME was important to Shoup as a student at Ohio State University and has remained so since. He credits ASME as being a force not only in his career, but in his personal life as well. Many of his closest friends today are people he came to know through ASME in college and during his early career.

Shoup believes firmly in giving back, noting, "Giving back is what I believe we should do, especially when an organization has done so much for us." He would like others to derive the benefits of ASME that he has enjoyed, and he knows his gift will help make that happen.

Shoup is excited about what gifts such as his can do for the ASME Foundation as it supports ASME, and is eager to let others know how easy a gift of life insurance can be.

Archimedes Club Gift Levels Platinum: Planned gifts of $1 million or more. Gold: Gifts of $500,000 to $1 million. Silver: Gifts of $100,000 to $500,000. Bronze: Gifts of $25,000 to $100,000. Member: All planned gifts up to $25,000.

"There is no need to give away all your fortune to make a difference," Shoup said. He pointed out that this type of gift is especially good for people who have years to go before retirement because it is not costly and would increase greatly in value over the years. "This is not about wealth; it's about ASME, about the long-term success of the organization," he added.

Shoup and his wife live in Santa Clara with their two dogs. They have two children: Matthew, who recently married Elaine, and Jennifer. In his spare time, Shoup plays bass professionally and creates sterling silver jewelry, specializing in cuff links.

"I've gotten so much from my relationships with ASME, both professionally and personally, and I not only want to give back, I want to help others discover how easy and how satisfying it is," he said.

If you are considering a planned gift, the ASME Foundation offers assistance in finding the best options for your particular circumstances. To learn more about the program, visit the ASME Foundation on the Web at http://foundation.asme.org, or contact Judith Kearney, director of development, (212) 591-7445, e-mail kearneyj@asme.org.

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