Spreading the Wealth

By Steven J. Smith

Marcia Jean Taub and Peter Swain tie their joint philanthropic philosophy to some pithy words uttered by the immortal Winston Churchill — “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

“Larry Thompson, president of Ringling College, always speaks of that institution being preeminent in the field of art and design,” Taub said. “And I realized that’s a great word for the characteristics of Sarasota philanthropy. We’re very blessed to have so many organizations here that in my mind are preeminent. So, I continue to support Ringling College as well as Selby Gardens, The Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, the Salvation Army and Designing Women Boutique, whose building now has both my mom’s and dad’s names on it. They were the first people to donate an estate to them and kick off their estate division.”

Taub’s career followed in the footsteps of her parents, Ron and Ethel Taub, who founded Creative Displays, a point-of-sale advertising company in Chicago. Starting out as a teacher, she went on to several creative design and display roles with Saatchi and Saatchi, London and Max Factor & Company before consulting with Creative Displays. Swain was a founding pioneer in an entirely new business sector focused on the world of advertising media communication.

Taub was born in New York City and grew up there and in Chicago. She moved to the Sarasota area in 2008 after her mother died, to help care for her aging father. 

Swain, originally from Sussex, England, moved to Longboat Key after retiring in 2005. The two met two years ago at a bank luncheon. He asked a question of the speaker and she endorsed it. They have been together ever since and as a couple, have teamed up to give back to a number of deserving organizations in their adopted town.

The mission of Designing Women Boutique is to grow funding for Sarasota’s arts and human services organizations through fundraising events and by selling gently used donated and consigned unique designer fashion, furniture, art, and accessories. The organization bestowed over $1,750,000 in grants and re-donations to more than 70 non-profit recipients in its first 14 years of operation.

“Designing Women is such a unique way of providing grants to many organizations in the community,” Taub said. “It ties together the message of giving back to the community.”

Another organization near and dear to Taub and Swain of late is the Circus Arts Conservatory, which is currently in the midst of a $4 million fundraising campaign to upgrade its facilities. The CAC started out in 1949 as Sailor Circus, a small high school gymnastics class and has grown into a top circus school in the U.S. Students learn circus arts in a safe and nurturing atmosphere. Over the last six decades, thousands of students have completed the Sailor Circus training program. Each year, students train with coaches and volunteers to create performances that have evolved into a major tourist attraction in the Southwest Florida region. The Sailor Circus Academy also offers a summer camp for children ages 6-15, which takes place in one- and two-week sessions during June, July and August.

“My parents donated to them and I have volunteered and donated a considerable amount of money as well,” Taub said.

Swain added as a newer denizen to the greater Sarasota community he has taken many of his philanthropic cues from Taub.

“The circus appeals to the widest possible cultural audience,” Swain said. “Everybody wants to take their children or grandchildren to it. Aside from that, the Circus Arts Conservatory supports the community in outreaching to the elderly — giving them comfort, attention and good humor — and also to the young with the mentoring, teaching and training they provide. It’s phenomenal. It builds what I believe is most important to education, which is self-esteem, confidence, trust in others and social awareness.”

Taub added as a former special needs teacher for children and adults, she knows the ages of 8-18 are so important in a child’s development in terms of confidence and self-acceptance.

“What I love to see is kids of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds coming together in the Circus Arts Conservatory,” she said. “They learn to work together and help each other as they perform at so many different functions in our community and even recently on the Mall in Washington, D.C. The Circus Arts Conservatory gave them an opportunity they would not have had otherwise, which is a big reason we donate to them and urge others to do the same.”