First Person: Dick Hoeff, a Life of Service for microfinance

By Jerome Peloquin,

Microfinance Focus, March 11, 2010: Dick Hoeff and I met on Skype for about 45 minutes.  I was lucky to get the opportunity (no pun intended) after a rocky start with me missing a call date and Dick’s travel between Wisconsin and the west coast; we almost did not get to do the interview.  Still a voice for clarity and commitment, he speaks eloquently to the issue of service, faith, and mission.  Our initial scheduling problems finally got resolved, as it really would have been a loss for me, the magazine, and most of all, our readers. Mr. Hoeff was one of the true pioneers in the employment of micro lending as a social strategy    as many of us know; Opportunity International is a global microfinance and philanthropic organization.   A faith based powerhouse, it was founded upon the strong principles of Christian Charity.  Although it serves all faiths and all people the organization adheres strongly to the fundamental mission of service to the poor of the earth.

Richard Hoeff, CPA started his professional career in Chicago as a staff accountant at the original (now defunct) Arthur Andersen Accounting Firm.  At that point he had no inkling of what his life’s mission was to be. While in Chicago he met Dave Hardin at a meeting of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, a meeting that was to be providential in Dick’s life. He also met Bob Weitherowski.  Mr. Weitherowski was to later become US Director of the World Bank in the Nixon Administration and a fellow board member at Opportunity International.   The three men maintained their relationship until Dave Hardin left the Council….

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