Our Trustees
The Trust is overseen by a Board made up of its members.
2024 Officers
Link to bio for Diane Wilush, Senior Directory of Public Policy & Advocacy, Board Chair
Diane Wilush
Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, Board Chair
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Link to bio of Ryan Kusumoto
Ryan Kusumoto
President & CEO, Board Vice Chair
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Link to bio of Debby Graham
Debby Graham
Executive Director, Board Treasurer
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2024 Trustees
Link to bio of Irwin Batara
Irwin Batara
Board of Directors
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Link to bio of Michael Byun
Michael Byun
Executive Director
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Link to bio of Donald Frazier
Donald Frazier
President & CEO, Board Vice Chair
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Link to bio of Araceli Gayton
Araceli Gayton
CFO
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Link to bio of Kevin Gray
Kevin Gray
CFO
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Link to bio of Peter Grignon
Peter Grignon
CFO
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Link to bio of Eric Meyer
Eric Meyer
President & CEO
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Link to bio of John Miller
John Miller
Senior VP, Affiliate Relations & Senior VP, Field Services
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Link to bio of Cesar Silva
Cesar Silva
Executive VP/Chief Administrative Officer
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Link to bio of Merissa Steuwer
Merissa Steuwer
CFO
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Link to bio of Liane Sugimoto
Liane Sugimoto
Board of Directors
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Helping manage unemployment for nearly 40 years
In 1982, 501(c) Services, a 100 percent employee-owned company, was created to administer the 501(c) Agencies Trust. The Trusts offers a safe way for nonprofits to legally stop paying the state unemployment insurance tax while still covering unemployment charges for separated employees.
501(c) Services has 40 years of experience in providing full-service alternatives to state-run unemployment insurance programs and provides services to over 3,000 nonprofits. They are the administrator of 501(c) Agencies Trust, 501(c) HR Services, 501(c) Agencies Trust Group Retro Plan for Washington nonprofits, UInsure (the only admitted private unemployment insurance product in the country), The Scouting America Unemployment Plan, and 501(c) Unemployment Assist.
For more information, visit www.501c.com.
History
1972
The Social Security Act is amended. Nonprofits are added to the unemployment tax system for the first time. Fortunately, specific rules give 501(c)(3)s employers a choice to participate in the state tax system or manage their own program reimburse the state for liable claims.
1981
John Huckstadt, a former nonprofit executive director, uncovers the potential advantages available to nonprofits if they reimburse the state unemployment insurance tax system and conceptualizes a program to take advantage of the savings.
1982
Under Huckstadt’s leadership, 14 California United Ways join the nation’s first grantor trust, the Joint Unemployment Compensation Trust, created to help 501(c)(3)s become reimbursing employers. A management company called 501(c) Services is formed to provide financial, administrative, claims management, membership development, and insurance services for the new trust.
1986
501(c) Services, in consultation with five nonprofit executives, established the Washington Unemployment Compensation Trust with 100 nonprofit members in Washington State.
1990
The Washington Unemployment Compensation Trust expands to include Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho. The new expanded trust is renamed the Northwest Unemployment Compensation Trust. The Joint Unemployment Compensation Trust changes its name to Joint Agencies Trust.
1991
A Labor & Industries program is created within the Northwest Unemployment Compensation Trust (It is still available to Washington State nonprofits today.) Northwest Unemployment Compensation Trust changes its name to Northwest Agencies Trust.
1995
501(c) Services creates the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Unemployment Plan.
2007
The Joint Agencies Trust and the Northwest Agencies Trust are combined to form 501(c) Agencies Trust after 501(c) Services engages in strategic partnerships with national nonprofit organizations, such as America’s Second Harvest Food Banks, YMCA of the USA, Boys and Girls Club of America, National Human Service Assembly, and YWCA of the USA. It remains the oldest grantor trust of its kind.
Today
501(c) Agencies Trust approaches 2000 members and over $100 million in assets – the largest such grantor trust of its kind.
