PJC Foundation Hosts Regional Leaders for National Financial Planning Day Luncheon

Published on Oct 1, 2025

The Paducah Junior College (PJC) Foundation welcomed community leaders and professionals from across the region to the Country Club of Paducah on Wednesday for a special luncheon recognizing National Financial Planning Day.

The audience included certified public accountants, attorneys and financial planning professionals — individuals who understand firsthand the practicalities of planning and its lasting impact. The PJC Foundation invited this group not only to celebrate the importance of financial planning, but also to highlight how their expertise and leadership can support students and families through education and philanthropy.

Guests heard from Dr. Anton Reece, president of West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC); Anne Gwinn, chair of the PJC Foundation board; and Andy Wilson, executive director of the PJC Foundation. Each speaker shared insights on the power of financial planning in shaping opportunities for students and strengthening the region.

“National Financial Planning Day is a reminder that when we plan wisely, we create opportunities for ourselves and for generations to come,” said Susan Ybarzabal, PJC Foundation board member and chair of the Finance Committee, who opened the program. “At WKCTC, we see every day how families who plan are able to send their students here, and how donors who plan can create scholarships that change lives.”

With an endowment exceeding $42 million, the PJC Foundation is one of the strongest community college foundations in Kentucky. Each year, it provides hundreds of scholarships, funds program expansions and supports campus improvements.

The luncheon encouraged attendees to consider how planned giving and long-term financial stewardship can not only benefit their clients and families, but also create lasting legacies for students and the broader community.

“Financial planning is about more than dollars and cents. It’s about vision, security and impact,” Wilson said. “Our donors’ careful planning makes it possible for students of all ages to pursue an education and for our region to grow stronger through an educated workforce.”

The PJC Foundation expressed its appreciation to attendees for their role in building a stronger community through education and planning.

For more information about the PJC Foundation or to explore giving opportunities, visit westkentucky.kctcs.edu/giving.