Todd Welsh and Rich Howard, founding partners of Scissortail Wealth Management, know firsthand the power of higher education and the barriers that can stand in the way of earning a degree.
As first-generation college graduates, they carry an understanding of the challenges and triumphs that come with blazing a trail toward a better future.
“My parents were adamant that I was going to college; I was the hope,” Howard says. “I’m glad I had that emotional support, but not everybody has it.”
That support didn’t eliminate the need for hard work.
“I had some scholarship money, but I also worked,” Howard says. “I worked in the computer lab, was a night janitor at Stillwater City Hall, and worked in the financial aid office, which turned out to be valuable experience for my first job after graduation.”
Welsh also worked while pursuing his degree, though his path was anything but straightforward.
“One of my biggest challenges was that my advisor changed three years in a row,” he says. “Each one signed off on my courses, and I thought I was close to finishing. But my last advisor was really on top of it and told me, ‘You’re still 60 hours away from graduating.’ A lot of the classes I’d taken didn’t count toward my major. That was a tough moment.”
Welsh and Howard met in 1999 while seated at neighboring desks at Merrill Lynch. That proximity sparked a partnership that’s spanned more than two decades.
“We’d cover for each other’s clients on vacation, share investment ideas, and even made investments together,” says Howard. “Eventually, we moved firms together. We just always had a strong professional synergy.”
Howard and Welsh built Scissortail Wealth Management in 2018 with philanthropy as a core value, not just a feel-good gesture. That’s when the Take 5 Initiative was born—an annual commitment to donate a minimum of five percent of the firm’s profits to charity.
“If you make a goal measurable, like fitness or weight loss, it’s more likely to happen,” says Howard. “Take 5 keeps us accountable.”
“My grandfather was a minister, so I was raised with the values of tithing and giving back,” says Welsh. “Whether we’re having a great year or a tough one, we stick to our commitment. As we grow, so does our ability to give.”
In 2024, Scissortail made a significant gift to the Tulsa Community College Foundation: a $60,000 endowed scholarship to help first-generation college students overcome barriers to education. While the endowment grows, the firm continues to donate additional funds annually so students can benefit immediately.
“It’s rewarding to do something that will last a long time,” says Howard. “We are glad our gift will have such a meaningful impact.”
They were especially impressed with TCC’s support model for all students, not just first-generation degree seekers.
“Students are guided through every step, from applications and paperwork to scholarships and enrollment,” says Welsh. “That kind of wraparound support changes lives.”
Already, the scholarship has helped students with powerful stories. “One is a single mother juggling school and work,” says Howard. “The other came from Afghanistan in 2021 to study aviation sciences. Totally different journeys, but both are courageous. I can almost hear the sigh of relief when a financial burden is lifted.”
“We want to help students overcome any obstacle standing in the way of completing their education,” says Welsh. “A few years of hard work can unlock a lifetime of opportunity.”