By Jameson Van Houten

A graduate of Arizona State University, Jameson Van Houten, CFP, leads the Stonegate Financial Group, LLC, as its CEO and Chief Financial Officer. Active in community affairs, Jameson Van Houtenenthusiastically supports several philanthropic organizations, such as Gift of Life, and sits on the governing board of the Arizona chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The Arizona chapter employs staff members with job titles like Wish Support Manager, Wish Manager, and Director of Wish Delivery. These are the people who transform wishes into reality. Since its founding in 1980, the Arizona chapter of Make-A-Wish has granted more than 4,300 wishes to children between the ages of 2 and 18 who have been diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. Many children’s wishes are career oriented; they want to be firefighters or law enforcement officers or superheroes. Not all wishes are career oriented, though. Many want to meet sports and entertainment celebrities, while others want to visit various locations. One 16-year-old boy with cancer wished for his 1976 Chevy truck to be restored, and Margaret, an 18-year-old girl with a serious brain disorder, wished for a shopping spree to buy electronics for her hospital unit.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is the legacy of a 7-year-old boy named Chris Greicius diagnosed with leukemia, who wanted to be a police officer. A family friend worked with colleagues in law enforcement to fulfill Chris’ wish to the best of their ability, providing him with a custom-made uniform, a ride in a Department of Public Safety helicopter, a tour of DPS headquarters, and honorary membership in the Arizona DPS. The foundation traces its origins to the fulfillment of that wish.