Making an impact on the next generation

Longtime ATSSA member Marty Weed included The ATSS Foundation in his estate plan

Hero and icon. This is how ATSSA member Marty Weed was known and has been remembered in the roadway safety industry since he passed away in December 2018.

Marty left a legacy.

It started when he worked with ATSSA, The ATSS Foundation, and his friends and colleagues to establish the Marty Weed Engineering Scholarship in 2018. The funding provides ten years’ worth of scholarships to new engineers at public agencies to attend ATSSA’s Annual Convention and Traffic Expo.

“Marty was always committed to developing the next generation of roadway safety professionals,” said The ATSS Foundation President David Krahulec. “The Marty Weed Engineering Scholarship stems from his commitment to new engineers in the field of temporary traffic control and work zone safety.”

Another legacy Marty left will impact generations – an estate plan in his charitable endowment to The ATSS Foundation. His generous donation inspired The ATSS Foundation Planned Giving program, which encourages individuals to include the nonprofit in their estate plans, as Marty did.

“Marty’s gift demonstrates his generosity and caring heart. We are grateful for how Marty has strengthened The ATSS Foundation and future for roadway safety workers,” Krahulec said.

Provisions in wills or bequests, designating a percentage of retirement assets, and inclusion in life insurance policies are ways to include The ATSS Foundation in estate planning, according to Lori Diaz, The ATSS Foundation Manager.

“Planned giving starts with thinking today about how you will impact the generations of tomorrow. We invite everyone to join others who have helped strengthen The Foundation’s long-term viability and further its mission,” Diaz said.

Promoting safety through public awareness programs and charitable giving is the core purpose of The ATSS Foundation.

With each gift, the Foundation can provide scholarships for loved ones of fallen or permanently disabled roadway workers and honor those who died in work zones through supporting the National Work Zone Memorial. Children are given the opportunity to work through the grief of losing a loved one through Experience Camps travel scholarships.

Several individuals have included The ATSS Foundation in their estate planning. They are among members of The Foundation Legacy Circle – and Marty is one of them.

Those in The Foundation Legacy Circle can remain anonymous or have their names listed on the website and in ATSSA publications throughout the year.

“We thank everyone who has given generously to The ATSS Foundation. We encourage others to leave a legacy – just as Marty did, building the futures of workers in the roadway safety infrastructure industry for years to come,” Diaz said.
Anyone who wishes to include The ATSS Foundation in estate planning is invited to complete the Legacy Circle Gift Intention form.