Our Founder's Story

His philanthropic work was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II, and he was formally knighted by Prince Charles for a lifetime of service to others. While those honors were remarkable, it was his kindness, humility, and generosity that left the greatest impression on me.

The one car he truly loved was a 1984 Aston Martin Volante. He especially loved putting the roof down and going for drives, enjoying the air, the conversation, and the moment. The car was never about attention. It was about the joy of the drive, shared stories, his sense of humor, and the laughter that always seemed to accompany the journey. It was a constant reminder not to take life too seriously.

He appreciated cars, but never as symbols of status. For him, automobiles were about craftsmanship, curiosity, and shared experience. One of my warmest memories comes from when there was a strange noise coming from the engine of his car that he couldn’t quite identify. Rather than overthinking it, he asked ten-year-old me to sit on the hood while he drove slowly and carefully so I could help pinpoint where the sound might be coming from. In hindsight, asking your grandson to sit on the hood of an Aston Martin while you drove off was completely absurd. At the time, though, it felt like trust, teamwork, and laughter. That was simply who he was.

“Sir Grandpa” was an affectionate nickname I used with pride, reflecting not just a title, but the man himself. He gave generously of his time, passion, and resources to causes supporting children through education, health, and technology. As his eldest grandson, I try to carry that spirit forward by combining my love of cars, shared experience, and sense of adventure in service of those same causes, with children always at the center.

The Sir Grandpa Foundation exists not simply to honor my grandfather's legacy, but to carry it forward through the values he lived every day: generosity, curiosity, humility, and service. Through ENCOR and future initiatives, we raise funds and awareness in support of qualified nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the mental health, wellbeing, resilience, education, and opportunity of children and youth. In doing so, we hope every adventure creates opportunities that last far beyond the road.