It all started in 1889 when Ernest Ritter decided to start a business in Marked Tree, Arkansas. There he laid a strong foundation combining business and philanthropy that would extend six generations.
“He had grit. It took savviness and a strong work ethic to build E. Ritter & Company to what it is today,” said Brittney Ray, who married into the Ritter family and serves as chair of the family council. “The family has made a commitment to serving the communities where we do business. The family, in partnership with the company, has built traditions and structure to formalize the process. We want to model for our children what giving looks like. Hopefully, future generations of Ritters will understand philanthropy and stewardship are in their DNA.”
Ritter’s great granddaughter, Mary Ann, was heavily involved with Arkansas Community Foundation as a state board member. Her son, Ritter Arnold, now serves on the state board. Dan Hatzenbuehler, former CEO of E. Ritter & Co., and part of the fourth generation, helped formalize the company’s relationship to the Community Foundation by establishing the Ernest and Anna Ritter Family Endowment.
“The family began gathering every year to stay connected and eventually established a philanthropy committee that works closely with the Foundation,” said Nichola Clark, a fifth generation Ritter and chair of the family’s philanthropy committee. “The mission of that committee is to support and strengthen the communities where Ritter companies operate by providing resources, leadership and collaboration to meet local needs. We focus on hunger relief, education, affordable housing and health.
“We want our philanthropy to be community-led,” continued Clark. “That starts by listening and looking at data from Aspire Arkansas. In Marked Tree, only 11% of students are reading proficiently by the third grade. So we’ve partnered with local nonprofits, along with Excel by Eight, an organization that the Foundation connected us to. Through their resource grid and guidance, we’ve developed a holistic plan called ‘Marked Tree 2030’ with the goal of significantly improving literacy rates there.”
As the company grows, so does their philanthropic footprint. “People have moved away from Marked Tree, and the company will change, but philanthropy will remain. The sixth generation, or ‘6Gs’ as we call them, are already learning how to make granting decisions and be charitably minded,” said Clark.
“We want our giving to be impactful. But some of the greatest value we all get is the bonding that happens when we give back to the place it all started. I truly believe that philanthropy is what keeps our family together, hopefully for many more generations.”