Why Lighthouse Counsel?
The Inspiration Behind Our Name
“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to
call attention to their shining—they just shine.”
Dwight L. Moody
Childhood Adventures
I grew up spending summers in the coastal areas of Connecticut and North Carolina. My birthplace is the wonderful town of New Bern, North Carolina. The state's original capital is home to an incredible historic district at the conflux of the Nuese and Trent rivers, a short distance from the Atlantic. My beloved great uncle, who led a distinguished career in the American Red Cross, reveled in taking me on boat rides and telling tales of the region's most famous pirate, Blackbeard. Lighthouses such as Cape Hatteras and Okracoke formed majestic backdrops for many of our excursions.
A long day's drive up the Eastern seaboard (557 miles), my mother's mother lived on Bell Island, on Long Island Sound in Rowayton, Connecticut—an equally magical place to spend childhood summers. Surveying the boats in the harbor and the nearby islands, I became particularly intrigued by the stately, stone lighthouse on Sheffield Island. I would imagine its light bringing ships safely to harbor and illuminating the waters for vessels heading out to sea.
A Natural Choice
My childhood adventures instilled a lifelong fascination with lighthouses. When it came time to name our consulting firm in 1999, the choice was easy. I knew I didn't want my name on the door. Even in its nascent stage, I envisioned Lighthouse Counsel as a place where talented professionals would join together and accomplish great things for clients. Through a collaborative approach, we would work hard to provide the very best counsel, positioning the client's staff and volunteers for success. It's not about me, or even our team—it's about furthering the mission, vision and goals of every nonprofit with whom we partner.
Nonprofits: Beacons in the Community
Our name reflects a bedrock belief that nonprofits are truly beacons, or fixed points of light, in their communities.
They provide refuge, safe harbor and life-changing direction for children and families, young and old, people from all walks of life.
Lighthouse: A Beacon to Nonprofits
Our team works diligently to provide vital counsel and direction to nonprofits, shining as a fixed point of light for them as they focus on transforming lives for the better.
As D.L. Moody so aptly put it, our desire is not to make noise but to “just shine” and let the beacon do all that it is intended to do.
Jeff Jowdy
President