Patrick F. Taylor Foundation

Patrick F. and Phyllis M. Taylor created the Foundation in 1985 as the charitable extension of Taylor Energy Company. While best known for its work in education through the Taylor Plan and TOPS, the Foundation’s mission expands beyond the classroom to support the community and honor the heroes of law enforcement and the armed forces. Since its founding, the Foundation’s gifts and commitments in these areas total more than $53 million to more than 475 organizations in Louisiana and across the United States.

The Foundation’s namesake, Patrick F. Taylor, through his own journey from poverty to plenty, understood that bright futures stand on the sturdy legs of education. While it is true that Mr. Taylor was a pioneer in the petroleum industry, his real passion was always with America’s children. He worked to ensure that the opportunity to go to college be based on a child’s desire to learn, not on his or her ability to pay. Mr. Taylor’s vision, known as the Taylor Plan, became law in Louisiana in 1989. In 2008, the Louisiana Legislature renamed the program the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) in honor of Mr. Taylor.  Today more than 20 states offer Taylor Plan programs.

Ragusa provides strategic counsel to the Foundation, manages its media relations, and developed its messaging and website.