Indiana University Foundation

NAMES  •  Rob Caito and Dena Rae Hancock, husband and wife

Graduated  •  
Rob: May 1990
Dena Rae: June 1992

What do you do for a living?  
Rob: director of development, Caito Foods Service, Inc.
Dena Rae: partner, DELVe Strategies, Inc.

Hometown  •  Indianapolis, Indiana

At IU, I remember...  
Rob: Going to the 1987 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and sitting in the courtside student section with my buddy, Jordan! Showing up a week early every fall for the Marching Hundred Drumline, playing at our home and away games, classes in Woodburn Hall, and the Bloomington Entrepreneurship Academy—all great memories.

Dena Rae: My favorite times were spent working on issues with the IU Student Association. Running for and then serving as student body vice president and president, and guarding the bridges once we had painted them during our campaigns. Ha! I also remember traveling around the state to gain legislative permission to build the Student Recreation Facility. That felt so rewarding.

The Marching Hundred: What did you play?
Rob: I played the cymbals for four years. If memory serves me correctly, I was the section leader for at least two. The Hundred recorded an album while I was there, and I was on the cover. My mother still has unopened cassettes from the case (or so) she bought. It’s a continuing source of teasing from my brother!

You must have learned a lot from student governmenT.
Dena Rae: I did, about myself and about how good people are. In my senior year, I invited women in campus and town leadership positions to conversations on what it means to be a good leader and human being. It was so enlightening to listen to their experiences.

Why did you begin giving to the Well House Society?
Rob: We both come from die-hard Hoosier families. Following my parents’ example of philanthropy and my love for IUB, I naturally wanted to give back to IU once I was out of school.

Dena Rae: And we believe in the responsibility we have as a society to educate our young. I love IU. It was where so many of the beliefs and teachings my parents shared with me became personal and meaningful.

You decided to increase your unrestricted giving to the Well House Society. Why?
Rob: Our fondness for our respective and shared IUB relationships, our children attending IUB, and the blessings in our lives inspire us to increase our giving to IU whenever we can.

Dena Rae: Giving back to IU is a top priority for us, right after giving to our church. I have faith in IU’s administration to choose where gifts can make the most difference.

Why should other people consider giving to the Well House Society?
Dena Rae: Unrestricted giving to the Well House Society ensures our gifts will go where they’re most needed. IUB offers an outstanding education for Indiana students while attracting some of the brightest young people from all over the United States and the world. We felt we could make the biggest impact by consolidating our giving to the Well House Society.