“They each have different specifics, but they get it,” Steve said of their involvement. Growing up, the Evans kids frequently came to events their parents worked on. “They learned through that,” Ardie said. “What we were doing became important enough that we were spending our time on it.” The tradition extends to the current generation. (Their youngest grandchild is a senior in high school. The rest are in college, and one is in the U.S. Air Force.) “I can remember our oldest granddaughter was working on a lemonade stand for the Humane Society. She gave me a Ziploc baggie full of money. Before I handed it over, I had to wash it, because it was sticky from the lemonade,” Ardie laughed. THEY WANT TO WIDEN THE TENT Arizona is a great place to live, but there’s a lot of need, too. Because resources are limited, Ardie and Steve believe we have to look to nonprofits, particularly in serving the most under-resourced communities. For decades, Steve has admired Valley of the Sun United Way’s work to monitor needs, identify social issues and bring the right people together. “They don’t just give money; they have a staff that works with the various nonprofits on these issues to give a longer-term runway,” he said. Steve and Ardie have invested heavily in Valley of the Sun United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society since they became members in 1996. At the time, the Society, made up of those who commit at least $10,000 a year, included about 30 members. During their stint as chairs of the Tocqueville Society in 2004, local membership surpassed 400 — the largest group of Society members in the country that year. More importantly, those members provided more than $7 million to support Valley of the Sun United Way’s efforts to address the most vital human care issues in our community. “We were really committed to it, and it grew exponentially,” Ardie said. “It was reaching a tipping point. We were just there to help it along.” Their service to the organization continues. Steve now serves on the Valley of the Sun United Way board. THEY INVEST IN WHAT THEY KNOW At least once a year, Ardie and Steve sit down and evaluate where they’ve been giving and what they’d like to get to in the future. It’s thoughtful, and it tends to favor organizations they know best. “Ardie and I have done a lot with ASU. I’m currently on the board of the foundation, and Ardie is in ASU Women and Philanthropy. That’s a biggie for us, because it’s so impactful,” Steve said. Impact and openness to collaboration are key traits of organizations they support. “And then Ardie and I look at our other interests. We support Trust for Public Land, Paradise Valley Mountain Preserve Trust, the Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden for the same reason — conservation and outdoor spaces,” Steve said. “We want to promote healthy outdoor spaces for people to enjoy. That’s something we’re very fortunate to be surrounded with in Arizona.” Valley of the Sun United Way Tocqueville Society members include some of the Valley’s most dedicated philanthropists. Steve and Ardie’s children are teaching the value of philanthropy to the next generation. Shown here are Ardie with daughters Lizzie Bayless and Pam Kolbe with granddaughters Anna Kolbe and Sophie Kolbe at the 2022 Board of Visitors Mother-Daughter-Grandmother Tea. Photo by Scott Foust

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 41 Photo by Scott Foust THEY LIKE TO HAVE FUN An overseas laugh turned into a gift for the Valley after Steve and Ardie took a trip to Shanghai in 2007. They traveled with Chevy Humphrey, the then-CEO of the Arizona Science Center. Steve was giving the graduation speech at an MBA program on behalf of the W. P. Carey School, and together they visited the newly opened Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. “One million square feet!” Ardie said. “It was museums within museums.” Among the fun, interactive displays was a bike rolling above them, balanced on a cable. “Chevy and I got Ardie up on it, and she was riding it back and forth on this wire,” Steve said. “We said, ‘We’ve got to have one of those in Arizona!’” Today, the Evans Family SkyCycle — one of just eight in the world — allows Arizona Science Center passengers to experience properties of counterbalance and center of gravity, just like Ardie enjoyed in Shanghai. THEY’VE SHIFTED POWER TO INFLUENCE When Steve turned 50, he received a book from his friend Patty Withycombe, the wife of his business partner, Keith. It was Gail Sheehy’s “Men’s Passages,” about men’s journey through middle age. It argued that to stay relevant in the second half of life, executives must make the transition from power to influence. The book made a tremendous impression on Steve. “I don’t have power on a board,” he said. “But I do have influence.” Accordingly, he and Ardie now use their time and influence to help steer and support the community. The Evanses see philanthropy as a natural progression. “You don’t give up the volunteerism because you become a philanthropist. It just gives you more impact and extension. You grow in your life,” Steve said. The key is getting started. “It doesn’t matter where you start, but make that transition early,” he said. THEY HAVE ADVICE It seems fitting that the couple whose story started at an ASU football game now looks to that university’s president to maintain their zest for the future. “I learned from Michael Crow years ago that Arizona’s growth rate is an opportunity, because the faster the rate of change, the more impact each decision has. ASU is a perfect example,” Steve said. So, Ardie and Steve continue to use their considerable influence for maximum impact, and try to convince others to, as well. Their belief in this community is palpable, and so is their faith in what can be done. “Forget about giving back. Just think about giving,” Ardie said. “It just takes a lot of people doing a tiny bit to make a difference.” Grandson Ryan Evans took a thrilling ride when the Arizona Science Center unveiled the Evans Family SkyCycle in 2009.