Community's Endowment
The Stob Family
For Doug and Melissa Stob, supporting the community that nurtured and shaped them feels like second nature. They met as teenagers while working together at Winding Creek Golf Course. They both attended Grand Valley State University, where Melissa was part of the Laker golf team and went on to win a national championship. What started as a friendship evolved into love, and the couple married in 2007, starting a family that they proudly raise in Zeeland.
Doug is a wealth management advisor at Wells Fargo and has spent two decades building relationships with clients, helping them grow and strategically share their wealth. As those relationships have deepened, he’s learned to address charitable giving more frequently and directly. “For those who welcome it, I talk to my clients about making the greatest impact with the resources God has given,” he said.
Melissa balances her role as a mother to their children, Sophia and Charlie, with seasonal work at West Coast CPA Group and extensive volunteer commitments. Much of her recent volunteer work has been focused on Zeeland Christian School, where she coached middle school basketball, volunteered in the classroom, and planned community-building events for students and their families. As Sophia and Charlie transition to Zeeland Public this fall, Melissa will look for new opportunities to share her time.
Since the beginning of his career, Doug has personally contributed to local organizations with gifts of both time and resources and has led efforts to connect Wells Fargo with local causes through event sponsorships and volunteer opportunities. A decade of service on CFHZ’s Development Committee gave him insight into the foundation’s work, and he often refers his clients to CFHZ when there is alignment for a charitable solution. “One of the draws of the community foundation is the ability to meet needs and opportunities across a wide range of impact areas. Whether a client wants to give to the Community’s Endowment or another fund, the team at CFHZ can help guide them to create the greatest impact with their giving,” he said.
West Michigan’s charitable and faith traditions drew the Stobs to raise their children in Zeeland. They value the small-town feel and the consistency in how well people care for each other and the community. Their philanthropy is heavily influenced by their faith and personal connections. The Stob’s children were third-generation Zeeland Christian School students, and Doug volunteered his time on the ZCS Endowment Committee to help make Christian education accessible for generations to come. The family attends Ridge Point Community Church, serving on the greeting team and the elder board.
“We believe faith and connections are what make our community special,” Melissa said. “We try to model caring for others for our children by sharing our time and resources, and hope including them in these opportunities shows them the value of giving back.”