Stephen Hyde prefers to be behind the scenes, which is where he and his wife have done much of their charitable and service work over the course of several decades. But on April 15, Hyde was in the spotlight at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, where he received the Msgr. Thomas J. Reese Award from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington.
Hyde, the president of HFM Investment Advisors, has donated to many Catholic organizations, including Saint Mark’s High School, the alma mater of his wife, Lisa, and their daughter. He and his wife adopted their daughter through what was then Catholic Social Services. Hyde has been involved with Catholic Youth Ministry athletics for 30 years as a parent, coach and remains a member of the leadership team.
The longtime member of St. John the Beloved Parish in Wilmington said in a phone interview that he was honored and humbled to receive the award, even if being in the spotlight is not his style.
“I’m kind of a person who walks side-by-side with people,” he said. “Giving that speech tonight is not something that I normally do. I prefer sometimes to be anonymous.
“I am very honored to receive the award. I look at it as sort of a lifetime achievement award. I’m happy to be recognized, and I’m grateful to be recognized, but I’m humbled.”
In a video played at the Catholic Charities dinner at which Hyde was honored, several people spoke of the impact he has had on people and institutions. Dan Carmody, the president of Cathedral High School in Boston, said Hyde is in the position to affect the life and trajectory of a student “who doesn’t even know they need a Steve Hyde, but there he is creating opportunities for students.”
Joseph Corsini, the chief financial officer for the Diocese of Wilmington, said Hyde is equally as passionate with his time and energy as with his financial support.
“He’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves. He does whatever needs to be done,” Corsini said.
Finally, Tim Flanagan, the founder of the Catholic Leadership Institute, said Hyde gives people the chance to make a difference in the world.
“When I look at the Catholic church and I look at Catholic education, I can honestly say I don’t know any other families that have had as much impact as the Hydes have in both those areas,” Flanagan said.
Hyde credits his father, Lawrence H. Hyde Jr., with instilling the values he lives by. Hyde was adopted at age 19, when he said he was homeless. His father graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, then went to work in the automotive industry.
Hyde said his father’s belief was that anything he earned was love from God, “and we’re put on this earth to repay that love.”
In addition, his father inspired Hyde to become Catholic.
He attended Mount Union College in Ohio, majoring in government. That didn’t last long.
“It dawned on me in my sophomore year that being a government major in Alliance, Ohio, was pretty stupid,” Hyde joked.
He enrolled in a program that allowed him to venture to Washington, D.C., and meet politicians and judges, and transferred to American University. He worked in politics for a bit before getting into the financial services industry. He moved to Delaware when his mentor in that business was transferred to Wilmington in 1972.
The Hydes kickstarted the capital campaign at Saint Mark’s in 2017 with a $1.5 million donation, a gift that helped spur others to give. Hyde said he had given a significant amount of money to Saint Mark’s anonymously before that, but the school encouraged him to go public with this donation to bring attention to the campaign and help dispel rumors about the future of the school, which had seen a drop in enrollment.
The school needed to make a statement, “which is why we made a big deal out of the check. That was a big deal when we did it, but it isn’t now. In their capital campaign, they raised $8 or $9 million, and they’ve completely transformed the school.”
Hyde also has been on several committees at Saint Mark’s, including development, facilities and advisory.
“It’s important to keep that alive, well and healthy,” he said.
He and his wife have supported schools in Ohio, where Hyde grew up; Boston, where his father attended Boston College High School on a scholarship; and in Florida, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. They have given to various other endeavors in the United States and abroad.
One of those was a facility for immigrants in Brownsville, Texas. It was used for an after-school and medical programs. It has since changed its mission because the number of immigrants entering at Brownsville has dropped. It is not unusual for missions to adjust, he said.
“Catholic charities are always very fluid. It’s an ever-changing thing,” he said.
One of the constants that is necessary is leadership.
“None of this is possible without strong organization and organizational leadership. We are very fortunate to have a diocese with strong leadership. You can only accomplish great things with great leadership, and in that respect, we are very blessed,” he said in his acceptance speech.
He said his wife helps find the causes and organizations they should support. The couple looks for operations that are sustainable. As Hyde put it, they will build the clinic, but they don’t pay the salaries.
Hyde, 77, said he will continue his work “until I die” or he is no longer able to do it.
“I’m going to continue to evaluate charities” and other endeavors, he said.
