Susan MarksI am thrilled to have a world-class performing arts center right in the midst of where I live. The Kravis Center is equal in its beauty and highest standards as the memorable performers and performances that grace its stage. For me to see and hear the best, such as the Miami City Ballet, one of the premiere ballet companies in the USA, and the Classical Concert Series with world-renowned orchestras, is very exciting!

As a young girl, my grandfather introduced me to classical music and ballet when he took me to the City Center of Music and Dance to see the NYC Ballet perform masterworks by Balanchine such as Symphony in C and Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun. My parents introduced me to Broadway shows such as My Fair Lady and West Side Story. While working in NYC I learned from my mentor how significant philanthropy and the generosity of giving is to sustaining theater and the performing arts.

When visiting my parents in Florida in the early 1990's my father took me to see the Kravis Center. Little did I know that I would return years later to become a patron. Being a New Yorker I knew I would always need to live in a place where the arts were alive and vibrant. The arts move me and touch my soul. It is very important to me to have the Kravis Center continue its mission for generations to come—to continue to present the best, and that is why I have made a provision to support the Center in my estate plan.

—Susan Mark