Sherie Marek believes in sharing good fortune

PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR

Sherie Marek traces her philanthropic spirit, evidenced through decades of giving both her time and treasure, to her youth in rural Higbee, Missouri (population then: 300).

Her father died when she was 9 months old. Left to provide for the two of them, her mother took weekend and correspondence courses so she could teach. Their home didn’t have running water, and Marek recalls earning extra cash by selling fireworks to her neighbors. Her mother made her clothes; Marek, who dreamed of a career in fashion, designed them. When they no longer fit, she sold them.

In short, they “were very poor and struggled” to achieve their dreams, Marek said. Even so, they gave what they could – their time – to the local church. 

Years later, when her means changed, Marek was eager to give back in a larger way.

“I knew where I came from, and I knew other people needed help getting where they wanted to go,” she said. 

“We have all had help getting to where we are today, and as responsible members of the community, we can make a difference and help generations to come through our own generosity of spirits,” she added, citing the motto she and her late husband, Len Marek, who was a Kroger executive, followed – and that still governs her life today. 

“She’s really able to respect where she came from and where other people in our community might be coming from,” said Claire Luby-Colton, former director of external relations at St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati. “She gets it, when you’re helping someone, what that can mean.” 

Years of hard work

It took decades for Marek to get where she is today. Always a good student, she earned scholarships to cover her college tuition. She met her husband-to-be at Moberly Junior College (now Moberly Area Community College) in Missouri. Len Marek hailed from a different small town in Missouri and grew up in a family of nine, wearing hand-me-down clothes and working at the meat counter of the local grocery during high school. (The owner gave him that assignment because he was tall and could see over the counter.) 

They both finished their degrees at the University of Missouri, where he studied economics and meat technology while she majored in art. 

Marek’s mother encouraged her to pursue teaching rather than fashion design. Teaching art allowed her to follow that advice while still engaging her creative side. She also saw it as a way to help children broaden their horizons. 

“Nobody’s telling them what to do,” Marek said. “You give them parameters and they can do what they want within those parameters. … Art expands your mind.”

She and Len were married in 1965 and celebrated their 50th anniversary before Len’s death in 2015. 

In the intervening years, Len went through Kroger’s training program. His career with the company took them to St. Louis (where they had their son, Michael), Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. In 1985, it brought them back to the city that would become their home – Cincinnati. 

Sherie, meanwhile, taught; when she couldn’t find a job teaching art, she taught typing and business instead. And she had a lot of side gigs: The plant business she started with a friend; the art gallery she ran from her home before getting a storefront; a travel agency; decorating work for friends.

In those days, volunteering often meant helping out at her son’s schools. But she also got involved in other ways: In Columbus, for example, she helped start the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for the Auxiliaries of Children’s Hospital (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital).

Meaningful involvements

Two major life changes propelled her philanthropic work. At age 45, Len took early retirement from Kroger and became a partner in Empire Marketing Strategies. As the company became successful, the Mareks shared their good fortune by donating to a long list of Cincinnati nonprofits. 

Shortly thereafter, their son, Michael, left for college.

“I needed something to do, and I wanted to do something to help other people,” Marek said.

She found plenty of ways to fill her days, serving on as many as eight boards at once, not to mention event committees, steering committees and other engagements.

“I know I’ve given more time than money,” she said.

Among the organizations that have benefitted from her service and generosity are Dress for Success, St. Vincent de Paul, May Festival, Cincinnati Art Museum, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati International Wine Festival, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission, Cancer Family Care, Cincinnati Bicentennial, Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Hearing Speech + Deaf Center, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, JDRF (now Breakthrough T1D), Cincinnati Horticultural Society/Cincinnati Flower Show, People Working Cooperatively, Historic Southwest Ohio and AVOC.

Some commitments have spanned years or even decades.

“She was a founding board member of Dress for Success and went on to become board chair,” said Lisa Nolan, the organization’s president and CEO, noting that Marek is the overall largest donor in the organization’s history. “It’s super meaningful, now that we’re in our 25th anniversary, that she remains engaged and has continued to grow her giving.”

Although the organizations Marek supports represent a range of causes, two are particularly close to her heart: children and the arts. “I’m worried about children after what I went through,” Marek said. 

Even organizations like Dress for Success check that box: “(It) helps the women get where they need to be to take care of their children,” she said.

As for the arts, they’re “a passion; I want the arts to survive,” she said. 

Something Marek’s found particularly meaningful is her annual Christmas luncheon. It started as a get-together and thank-you for about 50 women, friends and others who’d helped her with charity events. As her network grew, so did the guest list – and the pile of hostess gifts. After a few years, she asked her guests to bring toys for St. Vincent de Paul instead.

“We fill a semi with toys. My small contribution is getting people together and facilitating a place for them to go” to donate, she said. 

Luby-Colton sees Marek’s impact, via the “thousands and thousands” of toys she’s collected, as much greater.

“For the children who have a Christmas morning full of joy and get to live life like any other kid, that’s impactful in that it’s creating happiness and joyful moments,” Luby-Colton said. “But I think the bigger impact is on the mothers and fathers. … They have the ability to play Santa. Sherie’s behind it – she’s the true ‘Mrs. Claus’ – but it gives them the dignity to be able to put presents under the tree.”

This year, her 25th, Marek will invite 600 women and their spouses. It will be her last time standing by the door greeting her guests: She hopes to pass the torch to a new chair and to attend future luncheons as a guest herself.

A big, diverse network

Both Luby-Colton and Nolan describe Marek as a straightforward person who genuinely wants to make an impact.

“She gives without making a big deal about it; she’s not someone who’s doing it for the recognition by any means,” Nolan said. “But I think she also understands that she can help put a face to philanthropy and be an example.”

Indeed, Marek is skilled at fundraising, which she’s done while chairing numerous events over the years. She attributes her success to her ability to make connections. “I’ll talk to anybody,” she said.

By getting outside her circle and meeting new people, she’s developed a large network, maintaining some friendships over decades.

“I don’t ever let anybody go. If you let me go, that’s OK, but I don’t let anybody go,” Marek said. 

“Sherie has an amazingly diverse network of friends and family, and she is so good at inspiring that network to also give and to get involved in causes that are dear to her heart,” said Luby-Colton, who characterizes Marek as “smart,” “creative” and “spunky.” 

Luby-Colton thinks people are drawn to Marek’s genuine nature – and her joie de vivre. 

“She can throw a heck of a party,” said Luby-Colton. “She’s fun, she travels, she enjoys life and you like to be around someone like that.” 

Travel, which was out of reach in her youth, is a passion of Marek’s today. Perhaps her most interesting trip was to Rwanda, where she hiked  3 1/2 hours to see gorillas. (“It was fabulous,” she said.)  

When she isn’t out seeing the world, Marek has a home in Hyde Park, where she loves to create memorable experiences for her three grandchildren (think “glamping” in the backyard or having a “Hawaiian party” on the deck), and one in Naples, Florida. Unsurprisingly, she supports multiple organizations there, too.

Despite all her involvement, Marek is also happy to be at home, alone. “People think I’m a social butterfly, but I love my time by myself,” she said.

“People call me a piece of work,” she added. “I just say what I think … somebody said, ‘Don’t ever ask Sherie her opinion; she’ll give it to you.’”

Creating a legacy

Just as her youth sparked her desire to give back, she hopes her example will inspire the young people in her life.

“I’m trying to create a legacy where my grandchildren know how important it is to give,” she said. “They have a lot of benefits; I didn’t have any of those benefits.” 

No doubt her legacy will extend beyond her family.

“She’s really helped build this community in that she’s brought a lot of people together to understand needs and opportunities to support one another,” Luby-Colton said. “I think our community is more cohesive, more vibrant and more thoughtful because Sherie is here.”