Sandra Mathers | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted July 11, 2001
Central Florida time-share mogul David Siegel is creating his own charity to compete with the Heart of Florida
United Way for his employees' donations -- a move that marks a significant departure for one of the local United
Way's largest sources of money.
Siegel said he expects his Westgate Resorts Foundation to raise $1 million within 18 months through payroll deductions
from employees and contributions from company vendors and time-share owners. His employees last year were responsible
for about $500,000 of the $21.6 million the United Way raised in Central Florida, or about 2.3 percent of its campaign
total.
"We will make United Way available to our workers, but we won't run a United Way campaign this year,"
Siegel said. "I think this foundation will serve my employees better than United Way."
Siegel, who is a United Way board member, said he will continue to make personal donations to the agency. But one
of the goals of his foundation will be to help his own employees.