Beatrice “Buddy” Cummings Mayer, the matriarch of the Nathan Cummings family and a founding Trustee of the Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF), passed away at age 97 on Saturday, September 15 in Chicago. The staff and Board of NCF grieve her loss and hold her memory tightly, with gratitude for the many gifts her life bestowed on the world. She was known for her bright red lipstick and being a force of nature. She will be fiercely missed.
In Buddy’s words, “With privilege comes responsibility.” Her commitment to justice and exceptional spirit for social activism and philanthropy are deeply reflected in the work of the Foundation, now in its 28th year. Her leadership as a founding Trustee, NCF’s first Board Chair, and our Trustee Emeritus left a lasting imprint on the identity of the Foundation and the values we hold dear. She has served as a guiding light for us all. Her life, with all its incredible accomplishments, still illuminates our path.
Charles “Charlie” Halpern, NCF’s first staff President, worked closely with Buddy.
“Her commitment to social justice and ‘responsible risk taking,’ and her empathy for the people and groups supported by the Foundation, for family members, and for the diverse and talented staff we assembled, gave the Foundation its distinctive quality. And she brought the warmth and caring that she shared with her family to all of the people who served and shaped the Foundation’s work.”
Buddy was a woman ahead of her time. Her father, Nathan Cummings, saw his eponymous Foundation as a way to keep the family close. Buddy took that idea a step further and led her family to build an institution that would be strategic, engaging, and impactful—not simply writing checks to its founder’s favorite charities. With that clarity of focus and her experience as the first woman on the Sara Lee Corporation’s Board (the source of Nathan Cummings wealth), Buddy embraced her strong belief in people and professionalism. She saw to it that NCF hired knowledgeable and skilled staff who would push the boundaries of what it meant to be a change-making family foundation.
Ruth Cummings, Buddy’s niece and current Board Chair, added,
“Buddy sought to build the Foundation for the future to be shared by successive generations. She valued professionalism and early on stood up for the idea of inviting Independent Trustees, who were experts in fields not represented by the family and brought a diversity of experiences and viewpoints to the Board. The Foundation continues to be shaped by these early decisions that she championed.”
Buddy was a creative risk taker who didn’t hesitate to tackle the tough questions of her day. She spent time directly with those who had the least and listened to their needs, what is now referred to in philanthropy as “getting proximate.” Again, she was ahead of her time. In the 1960s she joined Wednesdays in Mississippi, building relationships with women in the South to create bridges of understanding across regional, racial, and class lines. Sharon Alpert, NCF’s President and CEO, offered that,
“Buddy believed in the power of people to make a difference, and she did not suffer those who didn't push the edge. She believed in women's leadership, and she was a fiercely dedicated advocate for justice in her own right. She believed we could and should do philanthropy differently, be bold and take risks, not settle for the status quo, and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards.”
A passionate leader in the arts community, Buddy paved paths and was one of the earliest supporters of pop and individual artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Diego Rivera. Without her resolve, NCF’s work would not be as bold as it is today. Joan Shigekawa, a former NCF Arts Program Director said,
“In the Foundation's earliest days, [Buddy] supported a vigorous defense of freedom of expression in the arts and cheered us on as we fought for the First Amendment rights of artists when they came under attack from hostile political forces. Her fearless love for the visual and performing arts helped to establish NCF as a national leader in the field of arts grantmaking.”
Family pride was core to Buddy’s life. The involvement of the third generation in shaping the Foundation and leading it is a testament to Buddy’s lasting influence. She actively mentored younger family members as they took on leadership of the Foundation, maintaining the Foundation’s course and propelling it forward. She took particular excitement and pride in knowing that future generations would be involved in the Foundation. As her great-nephews, great-nieces, and grandchildren—the fourth generation—began to come of age, she oversaw their education in the family business of philanthropy.
Her granddaughter and current Vice Chair, Jaimie Mayer, shared,
“She cared deeply about the future of NCF and the family. We could not rest until the work was done, and it became abundantly clear that the work would never be done. She pushed us all to learn, to show up, to make her proud. She yearned for the day a member of my generation would lead the Foundation. In many ways the fourth generation’s involvement was Gram’s proudest achievement. She slept well at night knowing the future was in good hands and trusted us to fly.”
Buddy’s Jewish values provided the moral focus on social justice that continues to this day. She took responsibility for infusing her father’s legacy into the Foundation’s identity and method: rooted in Jewish traditions, aspiring to be creative and proactive, and willing to take risks and fail at times. Buddy instilled those values into the Foundation, its way of doing business, and how it conducted inquiry that would catalyze progress. James K. Cummings, Buddy’s nephew, current Treasurer, and former Board Chair, extolled Buddy’s dedication, her humility, and her resolution to do things differently.
“Buddy brought corporate management sensibility and rigor to her service on the Foundation’s Board. It made us better, particularly with her sharp focus on our mission and strategy and what would make our work effective. She constantly asked questions to ensure we made positive impact, yet her humility ensured that no grantee ever knew of her extensive diligence and what she expected of her fellow colleagues at NCF.”
Ernest Tollerson, former Chair of the Board, noted how Buddy had
“a knack, a gift if you will, for making all of us see the pursuit of social justice as an involuntary act, something as necessary and normal as breathing."
She was unafraid to use her voice to call out injustice. Annette Ensley, the Foundation’s first Director of HR and Administration, reminded us,
“Buddy spoke up and spoke out against the forces that seek to restrict, and in some cases actually destroy, our freedoms, our joys, our loves, our opportunities, and our very lives. Buddy always provided the renewable, sustainable fuel needed to create the world we want to live in.”
In all she did, Buddy always had the future in mind. In her own words:
“It’s my hope and prayer that the younger generation will come along in developing more skills, more communal experience. . . I hope that the plan for the fourth generation of the Cummings family will be fruitful and productive. I hope always that Dad’s philosophy, Dad’s approach to projects—the aggressive, creative approach, willing to take reasonable risks—will always characterize the Foundation.”
For those who loved her as a mother, grandmother, aunt, colleague, friend, and peer, Beatrice “Buddy” Cummings Mayer’s legacy continues to live on in the work of the Nathan Cummings Foundation. May her bright light shine on the world we wish to change, particularly for those who pursue justice.
My grandmother was larger than life. She was a beacon of light for both the family and the philanthropic landscape. From a very young age, she taught us the importance of walking in another person’s shoes. Of understanding other cultures, of learning from the other and never seeing them as “the other” at the same time. Buddy was a citizen of the world long before that was a thing. She loved exposing us to the injustices of the world, always with the understanding that it was our obligation to make the world a better place than it was when we were born. Buddy lived in the present but never lost sight of the future.
Family was Gram’s greatest pride and joy. She looked to the Foundation as a living legacy, a gift her father had given to her, her brothers, and generations to come. She saw the Foundation as a light in the dark for the family, a way for us all to come together to bridge the gap between America’s promise and America’s practice. A way for us to be active participants in our lives, in the lives of others, and in the world at large.
Seeing the family work together around the board table gave Gram great satisfaction. Her endless curiosity never ceased to amaze. Famous for asking members of the family to “share your voice” as her hearing started to fail her, she never wanted to miss a beat. She had the most magnificent stage whisper and would always sit next to me at meetings, very loudly asking the smartest questions after hours with her eyes closed where we’d assumed she’d been asleep. She was always present.
She cared deeply about the future of NCF and the family. We could not rest until the work was done, and it became abundantly clear that the work would never be done. She pushed us all to learn, to show up, to make her proud. She yearned for the day a member of my generation would lead the Foundation. In many ways the fourth generation’s involvement was Gram’s proudest achievement. She slept well at night knowing the future was in good hands, and trusted us to fly.
She cared just as much and with the same level of interest in our investment portfolio as in our arts and social justice work. She cared for every member of the staff as if they were her own flesh and blood. Buddy built the culture of NCF to be a warm, loving, diverse, inclusive epicenter of social change.
Gram taught us it was our obligation to care. The world’s struggles were our struggles. We were born with privilege, and with that came an even greater responsibility. It wasn’t an option; it was an obligation and a gift at the same time. Gram gave us the gift of family—she was the glue that held us all together.
Jaimie Mayer, Board Member and current Vice Chair
Buddy helped launch the Foundation and was so committed to its work, the staff, and the organizations we support. On a visit to see her this past spring, Buddy told me how proud she was of the Foundation, particularly how we are standing up for our values and speaking out against injustice, our strong internal alignment and the emerging leadership of the fourth generation, and our recent decision to commit our endowment to impact investing.
Buddy believed in the power of people to make a difference, and she did not suffer those who didn't push the edge. She believed in women's leadership, and she was a fiercely dedicated advocate for justice in her own right. She believed we could and should do philanthropy differently, be bold and take risks, not settle for the status quo, and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards.
She was one truly incredible lady. May her memory be a blessing.
Sharon Alpert, President & CEO
Buddy was an original. I have a very simple first name. It's Joan—a single syllable. But to Buddy, it was always Jo-uhn, a two-syllable word. I sometimes wished she would also tackle my last name, which is Shigekawa, but Buddy always pronounced it perfectly!
Buddy was a force. At the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Buddy was a powerful force for creativity, generosity, courage, and accountability. In the Foundation's earliest days she supported a vigorous defense of freedom of expression in the arts and cheered us on as we fought for the First Amendment rights of artists when they came under attack from hostile political forces. Her fearless love for the visual and performing arts helped to establish NCF as a national leader in the field of arts grantmaking.
Buddy had legendary empathy. She had a special place in her heart for the underserved and for those most in need. Buddy understood that power relationships between grant seekers and grantmakers are inherently unequal, so she taught us to always answer the phone by saying "This is the Nathan Cummings Foundation, how may we help you?" setting the tone for the foundation to be welcoming and inclusive.
Buddy was a champion of new ideas. Though she was the oldest member of the Board of Trustees, Buddy was always open to learning about new pathways and new ideas. She had an enormous and generative curiosity, and we program directors delighted in introducing her to new adventures in our fields while preparing ourselves for her tough questions about outcomes and impact that were sure to follow.
Beatrice Cummings Mayer, known as Buddy to the entire NCF staff, was a steadfast and formidable force for good. We are so honored to have benefited from her leadership, wisdom, and kindness. I count myself among the many who will miss her very much.
Joan Shigekawa, former Arts Program Director
I can only say that Aunt Buddy showed up time and again...for decades...often over the obstacles of physical challenges and pain and commanded respect and instilled the oft-commented quote, "With privilege comes responsibility."
At times sharp as a tack; other times not following everything that was going on and on the nod. And then back to insightful questions.
She carried the banner forward...for us, for her brothers, for her father and his legacy.
Rick Cummings, Board Member
Buddy Mayer understood dedication to family, commitment to one's values, focus and rigor to one's work in the service of social change and the hard, but necessary work of growing, evolving, and expanding one's knowledge. Her conviction to continually support a widening and living legacy of the Foundation—not a calcified, impenetrable one—is a powerful model.
Personally, I learned from her continually. For me, one of the most important aspects of any time I was with Buddy was that she taught me to listen even more intensely and to act on what I heard. To act deliberately with purpose, humility, and humor. She was a living, growing legacy as we worked beside her learning from and with her every day. It is with gratitude that I remember her.
Jane M. Saks, Board Member
To most who knew her or of her, she was Buddy. She was my aunt, my godmother, and my mentor. Her manner was welcoming to all, as long as you didn’t violate her generous boundaries. To those most important to her, she remembered birthdays, always with a card and frequently with a useful gift. Aunt Buddy was persistent throughout her life. She loved humanity almost as much as her immediate family. She was unwavering in her pride of her Jewish roots. There are two biblical quotes that best sum up Buddy’s life: “Tzedek tzedek tirdoff,” (Justice, justice shall you pursue) – Deuteronomy 16:20, and from the Prophet Micah 6:8, “He has shown thee, O man(kind), what is good . . . only to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk modestly with your God.”
James Cummings, Board Member & current Treasurer
In September 1989, I attended one of the first board meetings of the Nathan Cummings Foundation. As I looked around the table, I noticed that the majority of board members were women and the one leading the meeting did so in a soft, compassionate, yet firm voice. I was totally captivated. She was Mrs. Beatrice Cummings Mayer. As she welcomed everyone, I took in every word and savored every moment and began to realize that I was about to have one of the greatest experiences of my professional life. And it lasted for the next 25 years!
Mrs. Mayer, Buddy as she asked to be called, was fiercely passionate about her family and family values. Much of that carried over into what she often called the “Foundation Family,” where she actively supported the creation of a staff that reflected her commitment to a rich, diverse culture and social justice. Buddy believed the Foundation should serve as a learning institution where people from different and diverse backgrounds come together to share their talents, skills, and experiences. She encouraged and supported programs that managed diversity and enhanced the skills of each employee. Both staff and the Foundation’s mission deeply and sincerely benefited from this approach.
Buddy frequently called to schedule our “girls” dinner dates. I would hear her voice on the phone that always started with, “Dear, are you free?” Of course, I was free and deliciously honored to be her guest. She would show up in her bright red lipstick, and we would dine in the hotel dining room, often the only ones in this small, intimate space, and we would order our cocktails—only one—and begin an evening of rich discussions on topics that explored personal and professional inspiration. Her amazing sense of humor and quick wit made the evenings even more delightful. Buddy spoke up and spoke out against the forces that seek to restrict, and in some cases actually destroy, our freedoms, our joys, our loves, our opportunities, and our very lives. Buddy always provided the renewable, sustainable fuel needed to create the world we want to live in. At the end of each evening, I, too, felt privileged and responsible.
Annette Ensley, former Director of HR & Administration
I want to share my deep sadness on the passing of Buddy Cummings Mayer, the loving matriarch of a wonderful family and the founding spirit who shaped the Cummings Foundation. She and I worked closely together during the first decade of the Foundation‘s life, and I believe that her leadership- her high energy, her curiosity, her warmth and generosity -were absolutely critical to shaping the unique and forward-looking programs that the foundation evolved and pursued.
Her commitment to social justice and “responsible risk taking,” and her empathy for the people and groups supported by the foundation, for family members, and for the diverse and talented staff which we assembled gave the foundation its distinctive quality. And she brought the warmth and caring that she shared with her family to all of the people who served and shaped the program.
May her good heart and loving spirit continue to infuse the foundation and warm the lives of family members and friends who serve it. My deepest sympathy to all for the loss we have suffered.
Charlie Halpern, former President & CEO
I have vivid memories of Buddy’s sharp mind, kind spirit, and fierce investment in the Foundation and the family. Although I didn’t know her well, she was a powerful role model for me as a member of the Board. May her spirit remain our guide.
Tricia Rose, Board Member
I am deeply saddened by the loss of our dear colleague, Buddy Mayer. As a bold and caring leader of the Foundation, Buddy exemplified dedication to equity, kindness, and genuine care. I was always impressed by her fierce passion for women's rights in the U.S. and abroad and her commitment to uplifting women was palpable in her work. Kindness and empathy are two qualities of hers that I will always remember. Some of my fondest memories were when Buddy would fly into town ahead of board retreats to meet with myself and other staff members. She would always reach out to have dinner, where she was attentive, caring and supportive of myself and everyone at NCF. She was an intentional, quiet listener who never hesitated to lend an ear and always made sure that I and my colleagues were heard. These dinners with Buddy are a testament of her loving nature, which she extended to all who knew her. She left this world better than she found it, and for that, I am grateful.
Paulette “Shelly” Harper, VP for Administration
Sweet and steely; venerable and childlike; savvy and innocent; optimistic and grounded; tribal and cosmopolitan: Buddy covered vast ground. But I never knew her to be anything other than supportive and discerning and faithful to us humans lucky enough to serve under her.
Conn Nugent, former Environment Program Director
My final interview for the position of director of the Health Program was an interview with Charlie, Buddy, and Herb. Buddy and Herb grilled me with questions for a while and, then, the questions stopped. Buddy, Herb and Charlie looked at each other and, finally, Buddy said, “I would like to invite you to join our family.” I was flabbergasted. Join our family? I was applying for a job!
I didn’t know what to say; so, I said the only thing that made sense in the face of Buddy's graciousness —Thank you! Niggling little details such as what I would be paid and what this “join our family” business meant were just that—niggling little details. The fact did not escape me that my response meant I accepted the job and, therefore, could no longer negotiate those details with Charlie.
Buddy’s unique way of offering me a position at NCF led me to make one of the best decisions of my life, and to make it hassle free. Whatever I would be paid, I would be paid. Whatever the conditions of employment, were the conditions of employment. And, in the end, I suppose I did "join the family." Eighteen years later, it is the family members to whom I feel loyalty and affection and hold in the highest regard.
The late Andrea Kydd, former Health Program Director, (offered in 2007 in honor of Buddy)
Over the years that I worked with the Nathan Cummings Foundation, a board meeting or a board retreat was not complete without Buddy. One of my first board meetings I found Buddy in a wheelchair in the lobby of 475 Tenth Avenue, and I took her upstairs in the elevator. During our ride, we had such a pleasant chat. What I remember about her was her sunny, positive manner, and her ability to talk with anyone. Underneath that pleasant exterior, though, was a tough lady who was thoughtful about issues and passionate about social justice. She was equally passionate about family and NCF. What a fierce combination! I will remember her always with a smiling face and bright red lipstick – a force of nature.
Leisle Lin, former Executive Vice-President