The Gilbert M and Martha H Hitchcock Foundation
Trustee Bios
Neely graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME in 1973 with a degree in Economics, and married Mary Lewis in 1974 in Duxbury, MA. He was elected General Partner of South Texas Land LP in 1987 a Kountze family Texas land ownership since 1882.
Neely has served on the Hitchcock Foundation board since 1978 and is the longest serving trustee at over 48 years.
Neely and Mary have one son, Tower Kountze and one daughter Elizabeth Mallory (Lizzie) Hunt and one granddaughter Mallory Grace Hunt.
Neely Kountze
President
Mary Kountze is a dedicated philanthropist with a long-standing commitment to education, the arts, healthcare, and community-based institutions. Based in Omaha, she has played an active leadership role as a board member of the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation for more than 30 years and has been a valued supporter of independent education and local organizations through her service on the board of the Friends of Brownell Talbot School and on the board of the Lauritzen Gardens. Earlier in her career, she worked in fine jewelry and residential real estate.
In Boca Grande, Florida, Mary continues her civic engagement through service with the Boca Grande Garden Club and as a current member of The Island School Foundation Board of Trustees. She is the mother of two and grandmother to Mallory Hunt, and brings a multigenerational perspective to her philanthropic work, grounded in continuity, care, and long-term community impact. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in anthropology.
Mary Kountze
Executive Vice President
The Honorable Russell W. (Rusty) Bowie was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and has devoted his professional life to the service of law and public justice. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University in 1978 and a Juris Doctor from Creighton University in 1981, laying the foundation for a distinguished legal career rooted in integrity and rigor.
Following 25 years in private legal practice in Omaha, Judge Bowie was appointed to the District Court bench in 2006, where he served with distinction until his retirement in 2025. His career reflects a deep commitment to fairness, public service, and the rule of law, as well as enduring ties to the Omaha community he has long called home.
Hon. Russell W. Bowie
Ed Hotz was born, raised, and educated in Omaha, Nebraska. He earned his Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law in 1975 and has practiced law in Omaha for nearly five decades, building a career grounded in professionalism, integrity, and service to the community.
He is honored to serve as a trustee of the Hitchcock Foundation, where he helps steward grants that support worthy causes and strengthen communities.
Ed Hotz
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hunt (née Kountze) has spent more than two decades advancing educational access, leadership, and opportunity for women and girls through education, digital inclusion, and international partnerships.
With experience living in Senegal and Italy, she has built partnerships and led programs for TechSoup, Tostan, Internews, Call of the Sea, and USAID. She currently leads Career Girls, a nonprofit organization focused on closing the Imagination Gap by providing free access to more than 800 women role models through a digital platform that reaches 20,000 girls daily worldwide, alongside in-school programs serving girls in low-income communities. Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, she attended Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She lives in San Rafael, California with her husband, daughter, and golden retriever.
Elizabeth Hunt
Vice President
Tower Kountze
Secretary
Tower Kountze, a sixth-generation Omahan, is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He led the staff at Dundee Presbyterian Church, was ordained at Harvest Community Church, and is now is working to build a new cross-cultural church that will have a transformative impact on its community. Tower is active in civic and nonprofit work in the Omaha area, having served as a trustee of the Benson Theatre and inCOMMON Community Development, and serving as a board member of Forest Lawn Funeral Home. Tower graduated from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, and received his Master’s of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. Previously he served as an aide to U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, and as a federally-registered governmental affairs advisor at a multinational law firm. He lives in the Dundee neighborhood with his wife, Lenli, and their seventeen-year-old terrier, Cici.
Jim Landen has been a leader in the Omaha business and nonprofit communities for more than 30 years. A graduate of Southern Methodist University with a degree in business, he relocated to Omaha in 1987 to pursue his professional career and raise his family. He currently serves as Chairman of Security National Bank, with operations in Omaha, Des Moines, and Dallas, Texas.
Jim has been deeply engaged in the banking sector at the regional and national levels, including service with the American Bankers Association Community Bankers Council, the Federal Reserve Bank Advisory Council, and the Nebraska Bankers Association. His leadership has helped shape community banking practices and strengthen financial institutions across multiple markets.
In addition to his professional career, Jim has demonstrated a sustained commitment to civic and philanthropic leadership. He currently serves on the boards of the Hitchcock Foundation, Canopy South, and the SMU Cox School of Business, and chairs the board of Clarkson Regional Healthcare Services. His past board service includes Children’s Hospital, The Nature Conservancy, Inclusive Communities, and The Salvation Army, including service on its national board. Jim was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the SMU Cox School of Business in 2025 and has received multiple community recognitions for his civic leadership and impact.
James E. Landen
John Webster is a native of Omaha and a fifth-generation Nebraskan. He has served on numerous nonprofit, social, and business boards throughout Nebraska and nationally, reflecting a deep and enduring commitment to civic leadership and community service. He currently serves as a Trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation.
A broadcasting executive by profession, John served as President of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and is a member of the Association’s Hall of Fame. His career and board service underscore a lifelong dedication to leadership, public service, and the advancement of Nebraska’s civic and cultural institutions.
