Humanitarian of the Year

Vogel keeps on giving

By Jeanne Wieland

Vogel When David Vogel was growing up, he saw the commitment his father and uncle made to their business, Vogel Bros. Building Co., and to the greater community as well.

Community service was a cornerstone of the commercial building firm, and something David Vogel sought to build upon when he took over the Madison-based company from his dad in 1969. That service and dedication to the community led The Daily Reporter Publishing Co. to name David Vogel the Humanitarian of the Year.

With son Peter Vogel now serving as president of Vogel Bros., the legacy of service stretches to three generations. Peter Vogel said his father, currently chairman of the board of Vogel Bros., formed the Vogel Foundation, which provides scholarships and funding for organizations such as the YMCA, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and the United Way.

But David Vogel's commitment to service goes well beyond dollar donations. He is very active in St. John's Lutheran Church in Madison, a congregation that has many needy families among its parishioners. His compassion for his fellow man was always apparent to his children when they were growing up, in large part because they were taken along for the ride. Holidays spent helping the less fortunate were the rule, not the exception.

"I can remember putting together fruit baskets for needy families at the church and delivering them on Christmas Eve," Peter Vogel said.

David Vogel also extended his caring touch to his employees. In an effort to help his employees out at a time other than the holidays, he took $1,000 of his own money and bought school supplies for their children.

Word got out about his generosity, and the School Supplies for Kids program was born. Now, 13 years after that first act of kindness, School Supplies for Kids has become a countywide fund-raising event. This year, it raised $45,000 for 138 schools and 12,000 children in Dane County.

"That really evolved over time," Peter Vogel said. "The neat part about it is that half of that money is raised from the community and half comes from Vogel Bros. entities, but it all goes to buy school supplies. All of the money goes into the supplies that go into kids' hands."

But David Vogel's commitment to the community goes even deeper. He sometimes plays Santa Claus at functions, he's a member of the Kiwanis Club, he supports Race for the Cure and other fund-raising efforts, he won the 2004 Community Service Award from the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, and he helps family members of terminally ill patients with complimentary hotel rooms at the Quality Inn South he owns in Madison.

But to Peter Vogel, he is just an outstanding father with a compassionate heart.

"This award is well deserved," he said. "My father has given me a great opportunity to be in a stewardship role, and he's provided the type of corporate citizenship that we need."

In leading the company into the future, Peter Vogel said he will draw heavily on what he's learned from his father's example over the many years.

"He's a great role model, and I'm blessed to be around him," he said.