Faithful Philanthropist

A wonderful interview with a wonderful philanthropist, from Philanthropy Magazine.

An excerpt.

“John V. Saeman is a devout Roman Catholic, whose loyalty to the Catholic Church has been expressed through generous contributions of time, treasure, and talent. Indeed, fidelity seems to be the hallmark of his philanthropy, characterizing his life, his friendships, and his charitable giving.

“In every sense,” says Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, “the Saemans are a heroic example of public service, fidelity to the Church, and love for her good works.” Mr. Saeman is the founding chairman of the Catholic Foundation for the Archdiocese of Denver and a former board member of two Catholic colleges, Loras College and Regis University. Carol, his wife of 46 years, has chaired the development committee of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Together, they are founding trustees of the Seeds of Hope Charitable Trust, which provides scholarships to low-income students in the greater Denver area to attend Catholic schools.Both Saemans have served on the board of the Papal Foundation.

“Mr. Saeman is likewise faithful to his friends, past and present. Through his service on the board of the $1 billion Daniels Fund, he worked to ensure loyalty to the philanthropic vision of his late friend, business partner, and mentor, Bill Daniels. As chairman of the board, Mr. Saeman led a systematic effort to recover, refine, and realize Daniels’ charitable intent. His efforts serve as a model of the proper stewardship of philanthropic assets.

“He is equally committed to the charities he supports, whether in Denver or the developing world. Mr. Saeman has given of himself to the Catholic Radio Network and the National Jewish Hospital, to the Boy Scouts and the Young Presidents Organization, to Catholic Charities and the Colorado Alliance for Reform in Education. But he also expects from these charities a measure of fidelity in return—and structures his giving accordingly.

“Philanthropy spoke with Mr. Saeman about his work in service to the Catholic Church and his efforts to honor the intent of his friend Bill Daniels—and to ensure his own philanthropic legacy.

“PHILANTHROPY: You were born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin. How does that experience inform your giving today?

“MR. SAEMAN: I grew up in a Midwestern farming community with a population of about 350 people. Generosity was a way of life. We didn’t have homeless people walking the streets. If people came to our town, they had a place to stay. If they were looking for a job, there was always work. People ate regular meals. Some were more fortunate than others, but there was a spirit—not published, not public, not profiled in any way—that people took care of people. If somebody had a need, somehow people were always there to take care of it. If somebody’s barn burned down, there was a barn-raising group that would get together and volunteer to help the farmer put his barn back up.

“My parents were of modest means, but they were very generous. When I was a kid, my dad made $350 per month. I specifically remember one time that they budgeted $1,000 for a local church campaign. I thought, “Wow, how do you do that?” I was just a boy, so it didn’t quite register, but I knew that my parents were committed to the things in life that mattered to them—and that they were willing to make the sacrifices necessary to see them succeed. A person doesn’t forget those things later in life.

“PHILANTHROPY: For 34 years, you worked alongside telecom pioneer Bill Daniels. Would you mind saying a few words about your business partnership?

“MR. SAEMAN: I graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1958. Like most people coming out of college back then, I went straight into military service. I joined the Marine Corps. After that, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know what my real ambitions were, what my calling in life might be. I would say I went through my first two jobs without any direction.

“Then I met Bill Daniels. He was already a major figure in the cable television industry. He took a liking to me, and I to him, and the rest is history. Bill brought out the best in me, without really trying, just by being who he was and acting how he acted. I watched him closely. I listened to him, I was motivated by him—and I wanted to be a success like him. I wanted to do all the things he did so well: making money, putting people together, being an entrepreneur. He wasn’t a hands-on mentor; he was very much a global guy. He saw everything from 30,000 feet.”