Partners In Philanthropy- John And Kay Trisler

            John and Kay Trisler are among the finest of Kentucky Baptist couples.  They have lived their lives as ambassadors for Christ and distinguished themselves as servant leaders in a variety of ways through the Harrodsburg Baptist Church, Mercer Association and KBC-related ministries.

 John was born and reared in Harrodsburg, and Kay in Danville.  Kay lived near the FBC and was there every time the doors opened.  FBC is where Lottie Moon was a member during her years as a school teacher in Danville.

It was no coincidence that WMU would provide an important pathway for Kay’s servant leadership development and service from a GA to the Executive Director-Treasurer of Kentucky WMU.  Other servant leadership responsibilities include the Marshall Center for Christian Ministry board, Western Recorder board, KBC Committee on Nominations, Harrodsburg CLC Director, Mercer Association internship, and various roles in her church, association and Kentucky WMU.  She is a Southern Seminary graduate.

With an engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Xavier, John enjoyed a successful 18-year career with IBM and another 13-year career with Lexmark.  From an IBM engineer in Danbury, CT to the VP of Manufacturing in Lexington, KY, and then to VP at Lexmark in Lexington, John distinguished himself as a servant leader in his professional life as well as in his church and community life.  He retired in 2001, only to be called two years later into public service as the Mercer County Judge Executive for six years.  He retired again July 31, 2009.

John has served as deacon chair, Sunday school teacher, and finance committee chair at Harrodsburg Baptist and on the board of the Harrodsburg Baptist Foundation and the Kentucky Baptist Foundation.

Kay and John have been married 48 years and have two married children: Stephen (Toni) and Amy Adkins (Tim), and three grandchildren: Jonathan Trisler, Kaysie and Ella Adkins. 

John Trisler served sixteen years over three different terms on the KBF board of directors.  Throughout those years of service, John shared the benefits of his wisdom, work and wealth.  He served faithfully and effectively on the executive, investment, and real estate committees of the board.  Recognizing his cool, calm, and collected leadership style his fellow board members also elected him to serve as chairperson.

               

Through the years, John and Kay have been most generous in utilizing the KBF as a fiduciary of funds they have given for the benefit of the various charitable causes in whose missions they wanted to invest for eternity, including the establishment in 1996 of the John D. & Kay H. Trisler Endowment in honor of their first grandchild, Jonathan Owen Trisler.  They established this perpetual endowment with an initial modest gift and continue to make periodic gifts to increase the principal for investment to increase the earnings for distribution to the charitable beneficiaries they designated.  Those beneficiaries are Kentucky WMU for its Heritage Fund uses, the Marshall Center for Christian Ministry and the Kentucky Baptist Foundation.

               

John and Kay have stated, “We see the mission of the KBF as a way for us to make stewardship decisions by the establishment of endowment funds that help provide perpetual financial benefits to our choice of many Kentucky Baptist causes.  We encourage others to take this opportunity to praise God and help other people and organizations in our state.”

               

May the Lord add His blessings to their lives and to the multitudes that will benefit from their generosity until Jesus comes again.  And, may more of us seek to emulate the example of the stewardship of their lives and the financial resources the Lord has entrusted to them to manage in His behalf.

               

                Contact Laurie Valentine at 502-489-3533 and 866-489-3533 (Toll-free, KY only)
or Barry Allen at 502-489-3421 or 866-489-3421 (Toll-free KY only) for assistance in how you can provide perpetual benefits to the causes which are near and dear to your heart.