In 2013, Nathan C. Looney, JD, MPS joined Waddell, Cole & Jones, an Arkansas-based law firm, representing families, small business owners, and some of Northeast Arkansas's largest public/private entities. The scope of his legal practice included advising clients on matters such as contract negotiations, litigation strategy, real estate and zoning issues, Freedom of Information Act Requests, and HIPAA compliance. While practicing law, he also advised clients on gift and estate planning matters including representing them throughout the estate administration process. In 2018, Looney joined the Arkansas Children's Foundation (ACF) tasked with creating a more robust gift planning program for the health system. In that role, he oversaw the restructuring of ACF's professional advisor outreach efforts, the gift planning marketing and stewardship program, and the trust administration and valuation process. Looney was responsible for providing foundation-wide team trainings and assisting team members in complex gift conversations with donors. In addition to administrative functions of the position, Looney managed a portfolio of over 100 individuals and personally raised millions in major and deferred giving revenue. In FY21, the team capped off the Campaign for a Healthier Tomorrow with a record year of gift planning production. In his final two years at ACF, Looney worked with foundation leadership to build ACF's first-ever gift planning campaign, which sought to grow the deferred gift pipeline, increase overall gift planning production, and build endowments across the health system. A major component of the campaign is the Legacy Challenge Match campaign. The Legacy Challenge offered a 25% match opportunity—up to $1 million—to any donor who documented a deferred gift at ACF. During the silent phase of the campaign, the team secured a record number of blended and deferred gift conversations with donors. Over the last few years, Looney has remained active in his community. In 2020, he co-chaired and designed the Clinton School of Public Service's and Arkansas Bar Association's Public Service Academy, which was created to prepare service-minded attorneys and students to serve the public in elected or non-elected capacities. This program received national recognition being announced as a recipient of the National Association of Bar Executives/LexisNexis Community and Educational Outreach Award. Looney was also recognized as a recipient of the Arkansas Bar Association's Presidential Award of Excellence in that same year. In 2022, Looney completed his second appointment as co-chair designing and overseeing the program for 2nd Class of the Public Service Academy.
When I returned home to practice law, I fully expected to “hang my own shingle.” Luckily for my former clients that didn’t happen. I’m grateful that a long-time mentor extended an offer to join his firm (which represented the largest healthcare system in the region). This practice exposed me to various areas of the healthcare. I also loved working with this client and could see the impact the hospital had on so many families. This experience showed me how important philanthropy is to a health system, as community support was often the catalyst for many significant projects.
I once heard a hospital administrator say that philanthropy is the margin of excellence in healthcare. Not only do I believe this, but I have witnessed it. Working in healthcare is exciting because of its scale—small changes can have a far-reaching impact. Philanthropy is at the heart of this. Working with supporters to secure new philanthropic investment is an honor. It’s so rewarding to see a gift lead to an expansion of clinical care, new research, or increased educational access for tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. I’m lucky to work with so many who want to make a difference.
While practicing law, I ran for the Arkansas General Assembly. Ultimately, I did not win but it was an incredible and humbling experience. I’ll always be grateful for those who helped with the campaign, for the support of my firm, and for the friendships I built. Because of this experience, I realized that I wanted to find something more focused on public service. Luckily, after the campaign, a friend shared an opportunity with me, which ultimately resulted in me getting my first fundraising job in healthcare.
Other than faith/family, my greatest passion is Arkansas—the people, history, and opportunity. From the Ozarks to the Delta, Arkansas offers beautiful waterways, parks, and other recreation opportunities. Each day you can encounter people from all walks of life: world leaders hunting in a town where only a few hundred live or viewing historic art collections at Crystal Bridges or AMFA; cyclists from across the country enjoying world-class trails; or even 80,000+ watching a Razorback Football game. Home to five Fortune 500 Companies (and many home-grown successes), Arkansas, with a population just over 3 million, always punches above its weight.
If you haven’t been around healthcare before, just learning the language might be a challenge at first. I know it was for me. Don’t get discouraged. Seek advice. I have had so many great colleagues over the years who were patient with me, who invested in my career, and who just helped me along the way. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always keep learning. And, when you have an opportunity to help others, be available—pay it forward!
My wife and I love to cook. We spent most of the COVID-19 lockdown experimenting with new recipes. Some were definitely better than others, but all were a lot of fun.