RED RIVER VALLEY ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL

Lunch served in the room from 11:45 to 12:45

With more than 30 years of experience as a practicing attorney in charitable and estate planning, Johni Hays is a recognized leader with her expertise in charitable gift planning. Johni is an Executive Vice President with Thompson & Associates. In her volunteer time, Johni formed and leads the national RIFT project to support nonprofits who are having trouble getting their donor’s gifts from financial institutions. She’s the retired president of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute and the author of the book, Essentials of Annuities and co-author of two books, The Tools and Techniques of Charitable Planning and Message From the Masters—our Best Donor Stories that Made a Difference. Johni serves on the Smithsonian’s Professional Advisors Network in Washington, DC.  

Prior to joining Thompson & Associates, Johni served as the Senior Gift Planning Consultant for The Stelter Company. Prior to that as the Executive Director of the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation Planned Giving Institute. In addition, Johni practiced estate planning with Myers Krause and Stevens, Chartered law firm in Naples Florida, where she specialized in estate planning. 

Johni graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1993. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Drake University and graduated magna cum laude in 1988. Johni has been a member of both the Iowa Bar and the Florida Bar since 1993. She resides in Johnston, Iowa, with her husband, Dave Schlindwein.