It is very rare to see someone so attached to their community that they make it their current life’s work to give back to it. We, as a community, cherish and look up to the leaders that make it their mission to give back to others.

     Dave Shook does that very thing and excels at it, benefiting multiple eclectic groups and individuals in White County. Dave is an incredibly well-known member in White County, often serving on many boards and organizations. He is heavily affiliated with the Community Foundation of White County as well as its Youth Philanthropy Council, a group of young leaders from high schools all-around the county that are passionate and dedicated to philanthropy. Dave was always a heavy advocate for his community, and it shows as his legacy continues to develop today.

     From a very young age, Dave was a core member of White County. He was very involved with the Boy Scouts as well as his local church, foreshadowing himself as the future benefactor he is currently. Dave found a love for helping others through his parents: David W. Shook and Colleen Shook. David was very involved in multiple organizations throughout the county but worked, perhaps, the closest with the Boy Scouts and did particular work in Camp Buffalo to help keep it up and running. Colleen was also a very prominent figure in the community due to her work with the Literacy Volunteers of White County, which she founded in 1990 and had worked with closely for the rest of her life. Dave’s parents showed him what it was like to give back to one’s community, and it has stuck with him ever since.

     After Dave graduated from Twin Lakes High School in 1971, he attended Indiana University and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences/liberal studies in 1975. During his time at university, he became exposed to philanthropy through many different faucets. Dave was a part of the IU Student Foundation and held a position on their Steering Committee for a time, was the Chapter President of his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, and was a member of the Freshman Advisory Council. These organizations opened up Dave’s eyes to the wonders of philanthropy and the possibilities it could create to many individuals.

     Dave married Becky Wrede Shook in 1978 when they moved away to Illinois. For most of Dave’s professional career, he worked at Siemens, a leading technology automation company. He worked at Siemens for around forty years, starting in sales and eventually becoming Senior Vice President and Managing Director of both North and South America as well as Senior Vice President of Strategy Global Sales, Marketing and Services. During his time at Siemens, he learned what it meant to be a leader and create a difference in the world. Utilizing his skills from his professional life, Dave learned how to bring people together and lead individuals from all different ways of life, parts of the world, and backgrounds. He still does this to this day.

  

   Unfortunately, Becky passed away in 2009. Dave continued to live in Chicago, where the two started their life, until he retired in 2017. He remarried in 2014 to Debbie Shook. Upon his return to White County, Dave began to look after his mother in her later years. Colleen passed away in 2021, but Dave wanted to cement her legacy into the county. He made it his mission to craft a memorial for his late mother.

     Dave reached out to many members in the community about how he could establish an endowment, which is where he found the Community Foundation of White County. After establishing the Colleen Shook Memorial Endowment, he continued his journey with the foundation by becoming a prominent member in their Governing Council as well as establishing four more endowments.

     Even outside of his work here in White County, Dave has not stopped in his goal to make a difference in the world. He served on the Presbytery of Chicago Camp Board from 1998-2005 and was a member of the Pi Kappa Psi National Fraternity board, with roles such as: member of board of directors, alumni relations, secretary, vice president, and president. His work in these two organizations exemplifies his devotion to giving back and strengthening the communities that he’s identified with. It’s clear that wherever Dave Shook goes, he will help out the people there in any way that he can.

     Whether it’s professionally, personally, or even anonymously, Dave is always doing something to help better his community. Dave wanted to gain a new perspective about current issues facing the county and the community and utilize his unique skills to help solve those problems. If one was to ever interact with Dave, they would immediately recognize his generosity, kindness, and loyalty to his community. His legacy will never fade from White County and we are very fortunate that is the case.