Congratulations to the 10 financial advisory firms for being named Charitable Champions! This annual list recognizes companies that give back to their communities and successfully promote a culture of philanthropy within their organizations.   In 2021, the 10 Invest in Others (IiO) Charitable Champions raised a total of $2,095,952 in monetary contributions and donated a […]

Employees: 145 Location: Maumee, OH Primary Broker-Dealer: Advisor Group Royal Alliance Custodian: Pershing Top Executive: J.R. Toland, President & CEO Philanthropic Stats: • 500: VTO hours offered to employees/year • 3,484: Total # volunteer hours completed • $140,850: total cash contributions How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to offer, events to [...]

Employees: 215 Location: Dallas, TX Custodian: Pershing Top Executive: Carter Tolleson, CEO How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to offer, events to participate in, and funds to donate? Chosen by an internal committee, Tolleson Wealth Management aligns with a community partner for two years. This partnership includes volunteer and fundraising events. [...]

Employees: 62 Location: Bedford, NH Primary Broker-Dealer: Ameriprise Financial Services Custodian: Self-Clearing Philanthropic Stats: • $6,400 amount matched/employee/year • $154,311 total cash contributions • Participated in 10philanthropic events How do you motivate your employees to participate in the firm’s philanthropic programs? We take pride in the fact that as a team, we are given 4 [...]

Employees: 12 Location: Collierville, TN Primary Broker-Dealer: Commonwealth Financial Network Custodian: National Financial Services Top Executive: David Pickler, President & CEO Philanthropic Stats: • 100% employees utilized VTO • 4,500 total # of volunteer hours completed • $352,000 total cash contributions How do you motivate your employees to participate in the firm’s philanthropic programs? A [...]

Employees: 13 Location: Wethersfield, CT Primary Broker-Dealer: Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments Custodian: Schwab Advisor Services Top Executive: Greg Hammond, CFP, CPA, CEO Philanthropic Stats: • 437 volunteer hours completed • 39.73 average volunteer hours/employee • $27,000 total cash contributions How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to offer, events to participate in, [...]

Employees: 74 Location: McLean, VA Primary Broker-Dealer: Advisor Group - Royal Alliance Custodian: Pershing Top Executive: Stephan Q. Cassaday, Founder, Chairman & CEO Philanthropic Stats: • $6,400 amount matched/employee/year • $154,311 in total cash contributions • Offered 5 programs and participated in an additional 10 philanthropic events How does your firm make decisions about what [...]

Employees: 10 Location: Tequesta, FL Primary Broker-Dealer: Commonwealth Financial Network Custodian: National Financial Services Top Executive: Cary Stamp, CFP, CEO Philanthropic Stats: • 612 volunteer hours completed • 76.5 average volunteer hours/employee • Participated in 9 philanthropic events How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to offer, events to participate in, and funds [...]

Employees: 315 Location: Omaha, NE Primary Broker-Dealer: Cetera Advisor Networks Custodian: TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executive: Ron Carson, CEO & Founder Philanthropic Stats: • $311,519 Total cash contributions • 1,060 total volunteer hours completed • Offered 15 programs and participated in an additional 16 How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to [...]

  Employees: 215 Location: Seattle, WA Custodian: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions Top Executive: Jon Jones Philanthropic Stats: • 29.34% volunteer hours/employee • 6,308 volunteer hours completed • $1,000 matched/employee/year How does your firm make decisions about what philanthropic programs to offer, events to participate in, and funds to donate? The six "Compassion in Action" [...]

Employees: 19 Location: Houston, TX Custodian: Schwab Advisor Services Top Executive: Jeff Thomas, Founder & CEO Philanthropic Stats: • 100% of employees utilize VTO • 200 hours VTO offered each year • 3,000 volunteer hours employees completed through philanthropic programs & events offered by Arkos We give in line with our corporate vision, mission, values […]

Initiative Provides More than $125,000 to Diverse Programs in Underserved Communities   ANDOVER, Mass. – Dec. 14, 2020 –The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (“Invest in Others”), a nonprofit dedicated to furthering and amplifying the charitable work of financial professionals and their firms, has awarded more than $125,000 to six charities as part of its […]

Savvy Ladies | Recognition, Rebuilding, Prevention: Financial Education for Women Experiencing Financial Abuse $20,000 toward free financial mentoring for women in crisis Grant Secured by Amy Irvine | Rooted Planning Group, TD Ameritrade Institutional What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? Savvy Ladies offers women in crisis free 1:1 financial [...]

New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) | Great Falls Peer Financial Literacy Workshops $20,000 towards youth financial literacy Grant Secured by Martin Vergara II | Morgan Stanley What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? NJCDC serves over 4,000 children and families daily with a focus on education, youth development, affordable/supportive [...]

Magnet Educational Choice Association Inc. | Student Activity Trips $20,000 towards student financial industry field trips  Grant Secured by John Curran | Cetera What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? Magnet Education Choice exposes students to a career in financial services, insurance, banking, and accounting through curriculum and activities. The [...]

Family Movement | Homelessness to Homeownership (H2H) $20,000 towards homeownership programs Grant Secured by Robert Basiri | Advisor Group - Royal Alliance, Centinel Financial Group What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? The Homelessness to Homeownership program serves low/middle class families who have experienced homelessness and/or reside in homeless shelters [...]

Humble Design | Serving Veterans Leaving Homelessness $20,000 towards furnishing homes for veterans Grant Secured by Courtney Liddy | UBS Financial Services What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? From homeless to hopeful - Humble Design changes lives and communities by furnishing the homes of families and veterans emerging from [...]

For the City | Building Beds $20,000 towards new beds for children Grant Secured by Chuck Damico | MassMutual What is the grant for and how will it benefit the community? For the City | Building Beds provides security and safety to children that are in otherwise tumultuous situations. The $20,000 grant from Invest in [...]

Fuquay Varina Junior Woman's Club $7,500 for Food Insecurity Bins Grant Secured by Valerie Seymour | Complete Financial Solutions, Inc., Fidelity In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I have been involved with the Fuquay-Varina Junior Woman's Club for six years now, volunteering an average of 20 hours per month. I am currently [...]

Wings for Widows $20,000 towards Pro-Bono Video Courses Grant Secured by Christopher Bentley | Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I am the Founder, Executive Director, and Board President of Wings for Widows. I am involved approximately 80 hours per month with the organization."   What is the [...]

Partnership to End Human Trafficking (PEHT) $20,000 towards its PEHT Empower Her Program Grant Secured by Cliff Faircloth | Bluerock Capital Markets In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I originally joined the board as a Finance Committee member. In the 4th quarter of 2020 I was elected to the Board of Directors [...]

NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore $20,000 towards its Ending the Silence Program Grant Secured by Stephen Spurrier | Old Orchard Wealth Solutions, Private Advisor Group, LPL Financial In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I initially started as a program participant taking the NAMI Family to Family class to find support for my son and [...]

Helping Oppressed Mothers Endure, Inc. $20,000 towards its Beds-for-Babes Program Grant Secured by Carlos Forde | MassMutual - Perimeter, MML Investors Services/MassMutual In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I have been involved with HOME for 7 years, volunteering about 15 hours per month. I currently sit on the Board of Directors and [...]

Abington Health Foundation $20,000 towards its Safe Harbor Program Grant Secured by Donna Kendrick | Sephton Financial, LLC, Cambridge Investment Research In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "In 2013 I lost my husband to suicide and our three kids, ages 12, 11, and 8, enrolled in Safe Harbor. Their support group was [...]

Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead, Inc. $25,000 towards its Pathways to Careers Leadership Program Grant Secured by Pamela Sams | Jackson Sams Wealth Strategies, Securities America In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I am involved with financial literacy instruction for the participants and am a consultant for the organization's retirement plan." [...]

EDsnaps $25,000 towards STEAM City of Women Leadership Development Grant Secured by Joanne Spears | Merrill Lynch In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I am the advisor, treasurer, and fundraising chair of EDsnaps as well as a current member of the Board of Directors."   What is the grant for and how [...]

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation $25,000 for Scholarships for Education Grant Secured by Ruth Kitzmann | Raymond James & Associates  In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I have worked with this group in a variety of capacities; from helping them with investments for the organization & retirement planning for the employees, to collecting [...]

Lake Worth West Resident Planning Group, Inc. $25,000 for Post-Pandemic Economic Stability for Women of Color Grant Secured by Wilfredo Ortiz | New York Life Insurance Company In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I am Vice President of the Board of Directors and a member of the fundraising committee."   What is [...]

Wine to Water $25,000 towards its Indigenous Peoples & Nations Program Grant Secured by Edward Doughty | Epic Capital Wealth Management, LPL Financial In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "In 2015, I started the Wine to Water Charlotte Chapter which fundraises, volunteers, and raises awareness for the mission. We have raised over [...]

Korean American Community Foundation $25,000 towards its No Room for Hate Program Grant Secured by Hyun Joo Park | MassMutual In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "I volunteered at KACF-SF's Annual Fundraising Gala in 2018 and 2019. I also have served on mental health focus groups addressing the unique issues of the [...]

Change Happens $25,000 towards Change Happens The Good Life Outcomes Program Grant Secured by Mickey McGill | Ameriprise Financial In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "After the death of my classmate and friend, George Floyd, I decided to send a lot of my time to mentor youth from my neighborhood to be [...]

Coleman A. Young II Educational Foundation $25,000 towards CAY2 Girls in STEM Program Grant Secured by Adrienne Herrera | Griffin Capital In what capacity are you involved with this organization? "Board and staff member Raul Wikkeling and I built a service model of community-based educational programming together. CAY2 uses a similar model to the one [...]

Stocks in the Future $25,000 towards expanding its financial literacy curriculum Grant Secured by Amir Reda | T. Rowe Price Why did you become involved with this organization? “I got involved two years ago via a coworker. We went into a classroom to teach middle school students about stocks and bonds, and it immediately clicked. [...]

Rho Education Foundation $10,000 towards Financial Literacy Enhancement Initiative Grant Secured by Thomas Watkins | Lincoln Investment Why did you become involved with this organization? “REF is the fundraising arm of our chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically black fraternity founded in 1906. I’ve been a member since 1986, and chairman of the group [...]

Rainbow Village $25,000 towards Paving Paths from Homelessness Program Grant Secured by Scott Phelan | Morgan Stanley Why did you become involved with this organization? “I first got to know Rainbow Village when I was board chair for another local community foundation and donated money in the form of a grant. Now, it’s kind of [...]

Literacy Institute for Financial Enrichment $25,000 towards Youth Save & Invest for the Future Program Grant Secured by Lanta Evans-Motte | Raymond James Why did you become involved with this organization? “After a few years working in this industry, I realized that we were missing out on an opportunity to educate more people who could [...]

Catch the Next, Inc. $25,000 towards Ascender Program Grant Secured by Lillian Gray | Bank of America Why did you become involved with this organization? “I’m a Yale graduate, but I’m also the granddaughter of a man who didn’t finish high school but believed that his seven bright children could make a difference in the [...]

ARISE2Read $15,720 towards "Books for Keeps" Program Grant Secured by Keri Gage | UBS Financial Services Why did you become involved with this organization? “I was born and raised in the vicinity. I love my city, but Memphis has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation. More than 44% of children in Memphis [...]

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Houston Furniture Bank Raymond James Financial The Houston Furniture Bank’s mission is to furnish hope by providing families with residential furniture and furnishings to improve sleep, mealtime, and home comforts to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle. The organization has served the Houston community since 1992 and seeks to make [...]

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Western Michigan University Foundation Zhang Financial Charles Schwab, LPL Financial & TD Ameritrade Institutional Western Michigan University Foundation (WMU Foundation) is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that promotes and provides donor investments to Western Michigan University. It accomplishes this mission by maintaining and enhancing an endowment fund, the income from [...]

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Children’s Musical Theatre of Bartlesville, Inc. Caughell Rodgers Investments Commonwealth Financial Network The Children’s Musical Theatre (CMT) of Bartlesville, Inc. enriches the lives of youth by providing quality musical theatre performance and educational opportunities. This premier teaching and performing arts organization in Bartlesville, Okla. helps inspire creativity, build confidence and [...]

2020 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner The Florida Dream Center, Inc. UBS Financial Services, Inc. The Florida Dream Center provides a wide array of human services in the greater St. Petersburg community. Service areas include: feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, job skills training and placement, Adopt-A-Block programming, addiction recovery, ministering to imprisoned populations, [...]

2020 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Star Kids Scholarship Program RBC Wealth Management – U.S. Star Kids Scholarship Program has a philosophy of empowerment and seeks to help low-income children break cycles of poverty, drug abuse, and incarceration through education. To achieve these goals, programming is offered in the form of tuition aid to [...]

2020 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times Northwestern Mutual Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times (CRMFGT) creates a positive, long-lasting impact on children with cancer and their families by providing fun-filled, medically supervised, cost-free camp programs year-round. For nearly 38 years, CRMFGT has provided respite for more than 1,600 [...]

2020 Global Impact Award Winner Be Like Brit ELM Wealth Management at Raymond James Be Like Brit serves the children of Haiti by providing a safe, nurturing home rooted in the virtues of faith, hope and love while developing a sense of social responsibility, community involvement and unconditional love. The orphanage was founded by Len [...]

2020 Global Impact Award Finalist Mission Madera Duphiney Financial Network LPL Financial Mission Madera strives to put faith into action by serving the needs of the schools, families, and Sisters of St. Francis to improve the living conditions and encounter the human dignity of each person within the Madera community in Uganda. Through well-planned summer [...]

2020 Global Impact Award Finalist David’s Hope International AOG Wealth Management Charles Schwab & TD Ameritrade Institutional David’s Hope International is a nonprofit that partners with a local Kenyan organization to build long-term, sustainable solutions that address the needs of the community in Eburru, Kenya. Over the past ten years, Eburru has transformed from being [...]

2020 Community Service Award Finalist Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis Nexstep Financial Group, LLC Equitable Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of St. Louis provides temporary housing and other support services for families of seriously ill children who are receiving treatment at local hospitals. The organization develops partnerships with hospitals and other community organizations [...]

2020 Community Service Award Finalist Lenape Valley Foundation Penn Wealth Planning LPL Financial Lenape Valley Foundation works with members of the greater Doylestown, Penn. community grappling with mental health issues, substance abuse, intellectual or development challenges as they pursue their personal aspirations and an enhanced quality of life. “Recovery” is individually defined and shaped by [...]

2020 Community Service Award Winner Lee Health Foundation Arch Capital Advisory Group of Raymond James The Lee Health Foundation raises money to ensure quality health care at Lee Health, a public not-for profit system in Southwest Florida consisting of four acute care hospitals and two specialty hospitals. Millions of dollars have been raised since the [...]

2020 Catalyst Award Finalist Clean Slate Living Lincoln Investment Clean Slate Living is a New York-based nonprofit whose mission is to reach the unreached through its “Rewrite Tomorrow” message. Every child and young adult deserve the opportunity to wipe their slate clean from addiction, toxic relationships, and bullying – they can be inspired to rewrite [...]

2020 Catalyst Award Finalist Peter Stuyvesant Little League, Inc. Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management The Peter Stuyvesant Little League (PSLL) is the premier youth sporting experience in New York City. PSLL provides outstanding instruction, volunteer engagement and community spirit for youth and adults alike. It is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that has served thousands of [...]

2020 Catalyst Award Winner Rebirth Homes CPA Financial Advisors, Inc. Cetera Financial Specialists Rebirth Homes provides homes for survivors of human trafficking. Programming involves comprehensive wrap-around services including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing as well as life-skill training. Women who enter the program set individual goals, and with the help of Rebirth Homes staff, [...]

Twenty Financial Advisory Firms Earn National Recognition for Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy Newton, Mass. – December 9, 2019 –The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (“Invest in Others”) is pleased to announce that 20 financial advisory firms have been selected for its inaugural Charitable Champions List. The Invest in Others Charitable Champions List recognizes advisory firms […]

Employees: 170 Location: Seattle, WA Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodian: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions Top Executive: Jon Jones, CEO Brighton Jones of Seattle, WA boasts an impressive volunteer time off policy. It does not limit the number of hours an employee can use to volunteer during the workday. All 170 of its employees took advantage of [...]

Employees: 176 Location: Omaha, NE Broker-Dealer: Cetera Advisor Networks Custodian: TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executive: Ron Carson, CEO and Founder Carson Group of Omaha, NE offers a matching gift of up to $500 for its employees to utilize throughout the year. Not including any matching gift dollars, the firm donated $100,000 to charity their last [...]

Employees: 12 Location: Tyler, TX Broker-Dealer: Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Custodian: Broker-Dealer is Self Clearing Top Executive: Neal Vasso, Managing Partner Vasso & Associates of Tyler, TX is only 12 employees strong, but gives back in a big way to its community. A vast majority of its employees participate in philanthropic events and programs offered [...]

Employees: 48 Location: McLean, VA Broker-Dealer: Advisor Group - Royal Alliance Custodian: Pershing, LLC Top Executive: Stephan Quinn Cassaday, Chairman & CEO Cassaday & Company of McLean, VA places an emphasis on employee participation in its philanthropic efforts. Not only does the firm organize service projects such as serving meals to those in need and [...]

Employees: 18 Location: Greensboro, NC Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Schwab Advisor Services & TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executive: Patrick Rush, CEO Triad Financial Advisors of Greensboro, NC is only 18 employees strong, but is unified in its commitment to philanthropy. Nearly half of its employees take advantage of the firm’s Volunteer Time Off policy, which offers [...]

Employees: 17 Location: Swansea, IL Broker-Dealer: Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments Custodians: Pershing, LLC and TD Ameritrade Top Executive: James D. Maher, CEO & Founder Archford Capital Strategies of Swansea, IL offers a matching gift of up to $1,000 for its employees to utilize throughout the year. Not including any matching gift dollars, the firm donated [...]

Employees: 12 Location: Perrysburg, OH Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodian: TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executives: Jeffery Bucher, President; Kevin Bucher, Vice President Citizen Advisory Group of Perrysburg, OH is only 12 employees strong, but is unified in its commitment to philanthropy. Every employee takes advantage of the firm’s Volunteer Time Off policy, which offers up to 32 [...]

Employees: 161 Location: Dallas, TX Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Pershing, Schwab Advisor Services, & Alternative Investments Top Executive: Carter Tolleson, CEO Tolleson Wealth Management of Dallas, TX has a unique service-matching program that awards grants for service hours completed. For employees that reach over 50 service hours, the firm awards a $250 grant to a charity [...]

Employees: 26 Location: San Antonio, TX Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions & Schwab Advisor Services Top Executive: John D. Eadie, Founder & Managing Director Covenant of San Antonio, TX boasts an impressive volunteer time off policy. It does not limit the number of hours an employee can use to volunteer during the [...]

Employees: 18 Location: Las Vegas, NV Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Schwab Advisor Services & TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executive: Jennifer Davis, Managing Partner SkyOak Wealth of Las Vegas, NV boasts an impressive Volunteer Time Off policy. Not only does the firm offer 40 hours per year, but SkyOak also encourages its employees to serve on boards [...]

Employees: 41 Location: Houston, TX Broker-Dealer: Crossmark Distributors, Inc. Custodian: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions Top Executive: Michael L. Kern III, CEO & President Crossmark Global Investments of Houston, TX has many unique philanthropic programs that set them apart. In addition to a traditional matching gift program, which offers a match of up to $250 [...]

Employees: 117 Location: Maumee, OH Broker-Dealer: Advisor Group - Royal Alliance Custodian: Pershing, LLC Top Executive: Russ Karban, Vice President & Managing Executive Savage & Associates of Maumee, OH hosts an annual golf tournament to raise funds for its charitable endeavors. The Savage Foundation Golf Classic typically raises $100,000 in one day; $50,000 is awarded [...]

Employees: 650 Location: Boston, MA Broker-Dealer: MML Investors Services/MassMutual Custodian: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions Top Executive: David C. Porter, Managing Partner Baystate Financial of Boston, MA offers a matching gift of up to $10,000 for its advisors at leadership level and above to utilize throughout the year. Not including any matching gift dollars, the [...]

Employees: 48 Location: Portland, OR Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodian: Schwab Advisor Services Top Executives: Tony Arnerich, Co-CEO, Co-CIO; Bryan Shipley, Co-CEO, Co-CIO Arnerich Massena of Portland, OR offers a unique opportunity for its employees to give back through its I Am Learning Partnership. Employees are encouraged to volunteer either weekly or bi-weekly at a local elementary [...]

Employees: 11 Location: Sioux City, IA Broker-Dealer: Securities America Custodian: National Financial Services Top Executive: Marc Geels, CEO & Wealth Manager EFS Group Wealth Management of Sioux City, IA places an emphasis on employee involvement in its philanthropic endeavors. Employees completed a total of 500 community service hours collectively over the past fiscal year. That [...]

Employees: 15 Location: San Diego, CA Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Schwab Advisor Services & Shareholders Service Group Top Executive: Sheryl Rowling, Principal Rowling & Associates of San Diego, CA boasts 100% employee participation in its philanthropic programs. The firm attributes this the employee-driven nature of its programs; employees choose causes that they are passionate about, which [...]

Employees: 36 Location: Chesterton, IN Broker-Dealer: Cetera – First Allied Securities Custodians: Pershing Advisor Solutions and TD Ameritrade Top Executive: Mark Chamberlain, CEO Lakeside Wealth Management of Chesterton, IN focuses its support by donating time and talent, encouraging employees to take a hands-on approach to giving back. This is evident by the number of hours [...]

Employees: 19 Location: Ludlow, MA Broker-Dealer: Commonwealth Financial Network Custodian: National Financial Services Top Executive: Edward Sokolowski, Managing Partner PV Financial Group of Ludlow, MA is committed to volunteering in a hands-on way as a firm. Employees completed a total of 1,228 community service hours collectively over the past fiscal year. That averages to nearly [...]

Employees: 23 Location: Los Angeles, CA Broker-Dealer: N/A Custodians: Schwab Advisor Services & TD Ameritrade Institutional Top Executive: Brock Moseley, Managing Partner Miracle Mile Advisors of Los Angeles, CA is committed to supporting its local Big Brothers Big Sisters. The firm partnered with BBBSLA to establish the first Small Business Workplace Mentoring Program. Through this [...]

Employees: 196 Location: Minneapolis, MN Broker-Dealers: Securian Financial Services and CRI Securities, LLC Custodian: Pershing, LLC Top Executive: Ed Deutschlander, CEO North Star Resource Group of Minneapolis, MN established the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation (SRNSCF) in 2014. The firm is committed to donate 10% of its revenue to local charities through the foundation [...]

Robert Kennedy famously said “some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.” The 15 finalists for the 2019 Invest in Others Awards live by those words. They are dreamers and doers. While many people only look inward, these men and women do […]

2019 Community Service Award Finalist American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Mitlin Financial, Inc. TD Ameritrade Institutional In 2004, Lawrence Sprung lost his brother-in-law, Keith, to suicide. This event devastated his family and Lawrence made a promise to Keith – you will not go quietly. Since 2004, Lawrence has made it his personal mission to help [...]

2019 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Life Remodeled NastGroup Financial Continuum Advisory, LLC & Triad Advisors Twenty-five minutes from his home, Kevin Nast finds a city he deeply loves riddled with crime, poverty and a history of broken promises – Detroit. For Kevin, volunteering his time and financial resources to Life Remodeled allows him [...]

2021 Catalyst Award Finalist Wellstrong, Inc. Centinel Financial Group, LLC Royal Alliance – Advisor Group Wellstrong, Inc. is a fitness and wellness community for people in recovery from substance abuse disorder. The organization was founded by Amy Doherty in 2016 and offers a safe, supportive, sober environment for individuals to participate in activities that have [...]

2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (CAF) is dedicated to serving people afflicted with various forms of thalassemia, most notably the major form of this genetic blood disease, Cooley’s Anemia/Thalassemia Major. CAF works to increase life expectancy and enhance the quality of life for those impacted [...]

2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist San Francisco AIDS Foundation Woodbury Financial Advisor Group San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) promotes health, wellness and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance abuse services, advocacy and community partnerships. SFAF provides a range of free health services to over 25,000 people living with [...]

2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh JKS Financial Northwestern Mutual Established in 1965, Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh (BBBSPGH) is the region’s premier evidenced-based youth mentoring agency. The organization’s target population includes children ages 6-18 from single parent families, low-income households and underperforming schools. In many cases, [...]

2021 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner Disaster Aid USA Agee Financial Group SagePoint – Advisor Group Disaster Aid USA provides disaster relief and humanitarian assistance both at home and abroad when disaster strikes. Disaster Aid USA is a Rotary project and enacts Rotary values on the international stage. The organization does more than simply [...]

2021 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Knead Community Café Northwestern Mutual Knead Community Café is dedicated to alleviating food insecurity and promoting a healthy community in New Kensington by offering a “pay-what-you-can” system. The café even allows guests to exchange volunteerism for a meal, creating a supportive dining climate where everyone is treated with [...]

2021 Community Service Award Finalist Commit & Act, (US) PGI Wealth Management TD Ameritrade Institutional Commit & Act (US) is dedicated to empowering vulnerable populations in crisis areas by providing scientifically based, culturally sensitive training to health care workers and other professionals so they can move their communities forward and create new beginnings. The organization also [...]

2021 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Coalition for the Homeless Morgan Stanley Wealth Management The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation’s oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women and children.  The organization believes that affordable housing, sufficient food and the chance to work for a living wage are fundamental rights [...]

2021 Community Service Award Finalist Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona Versant Capital Management, Inc. Charles Schwab Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona’s mission is to transform children’s trauma into resilience through the arts, working specifically with abused infants, children and young adults living in a foster care group home, homeless shelter, or [...]

2021 Catalyst Award Winner Helping Hands for Single Moms Dallas The Ujano Advisory Group LLC TD Ameritrade Institutional Helping Hands for Single Moms Dallas works to end generational poverty by assisting low-income single mom families as the mother pursues college education, financial independence and creates a positive family legacy. Research shows that when one parent [...]

2021 Community Service Award Winner Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. Green Financial Resources, LLC Cetera Advisors Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. is committed to reversing the potentially lifelong impairments caused by hearing loss in children. Through its unique programming, Auditory-Verbal Center teaches children with mild hearing loss to profound deafness how to listen and speak without the use of [...]

2021 Catalyst Award Finalist 3rd Decade TCI Wealth Advisors Charles Schwab 3rd Decade works to build successful financial futures by offering access to free high-quality financial education, training and support. Founded by Bob Swift in 2016, 3rd Decade has served more than 1,000 young adults through its two-year financial literacy program, which is open to [...]

2019 Global Impact Award Finalist Love One International Mayernick & Associates Northwestern Mutual Ten years ago, Mike Mayernick and his wife adopted a three-and-a-half-year-old girl, JosieLove, from Uganda. When they travelled over to bring her home, she weighed 15 pounds, couldn’t walk or talk, and had tested positive for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. Throughout their time [...]

2019 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Bivona Child Advocacy Center Sage Rutty and Company, Inc. First Clearing As a foster parent who has taken care of more than 54 foster children over the past 20 years, Wayne Holly has witnessed firsthand the devastation that physical and sexual abuse can do to both children and [...]

2019 Catalyst Award Finalist Million Meal Movement UBS Financial Services Inc. In 2006, Dan and Nancy Hintz saw a nonprofit featured on NBC Nightly News serving food insecure individuals. The organization’s work resonated with them, and they thought – why not here in Indiana, feeding our hungry neighbors? After an initial investment and a lot [...]

On September 27, 2018, Invest in Others awarded 15 financial advisors more than $300,000 for their commitment to charities in their communities. We asked our 2018 recipients how they were able to use their Invest in Others Award donation to better their nonprofits and this is what they had to say.   Catalyst Award Carrie […]

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Good Grief Private Advisor Group LPL Financial When Pat Sullivan joined the Board of a new nonprofit in his community as Treasurer in 2004, he had little idea how transformative his service with Good Grief would be for him and his family. Good Grief provides free programs to children and […]

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Town of Wallkill Boys & Girls Club SEP Financial Services HD Vest Stephen Plain envisioned creating a children’s recreation program where all kids could access recreational services, hang out with friends and have a safe place to go where people cared about them, regardless of their ability to pay for […]

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Heart of Illinois Harvest Masterplan Financial Group Commonwealth Financial Network William Lervaag is one of the original founders of Heart of Illinois Harvest, a non-profit food rescue organization. For the past twenty-six years, William has been working tirelessly to rescue surplus food and deliver it to local agencies, who in […]

2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation Northstar Investment Advisors, LLC Charles Schwab Fred Taylor’s connection to the Children’s Hospital Colorado runs personal and deep – the Hospital saved his son’s life when his child became sick with a near fatal brain aneurism. Fred was so moved by the care and comfort his [...]

2019 Community Service Award Finalist Greater Newark Conservancy The Short Hills Group at UBS Financial Services Inc. UBS Financial Services Inc. Newark born, Rachel Schwarz is committed through her work at Greater Newark Conservancy, to improving lives through the Conservancy’s programs in environmental and nutritional education, community greening and job training. Rachel’s mother served this [...]

2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist NJ SEEDS Bleakley Financial Group LPL Financial Andy Schwartz was an early supporter of New Jersey SEEDS, an education-based nonprofit founded to confront the lack of opportunity for high-achieving, low-income students. Founded in 1992, SEEDS provides free academic programming for students on Saturdays and during the summers, then places its [...]

2019 Global Impact Award Finalist Starkey Hearing Foundation JNBA Financial Advisors TD Ameritrade Institutional Richard Brown has been giving the gift of hearing to people all over the world, from Mexico to Honduras to India, for the past eight years through his service with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. As the organization’s current President and Board [...]

2019 Catalyst Award Finalist American Public Education Foundation Pickler Wealth Advisors Commonwealth Financial Network David Pickler has been a steadfast supporter of public education for the past thirty years, advocating for K-12 youth locally in Shelby County, Tennessee and more broadly on a national scale. David built upon these experiences in creating the American Public [...]

2019 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Miracle Mile Advisors Charles Schwab & TD Ameritrade Institutional Brock Moseley first became involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles (BBBSLA) 37 years ago as a Little Brother. After experiencing how rewarding mentoring relationships can be as [...]

2019 Global Impact Award Finalist Quenched Affirm Wealth Advisors Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Matt MacLean’s faith led him to create the international nonprofit Quenched, an organization that brings clean water to communities in urgent need. A life-changing trip to Nepal in 2015 confirmed that’s where he would begin the work. Since then, the organization has [...]

2019 Catalyst Award Finalist Kids Aid Legacy Wealth Management Cambridge Investment Research In 2004, Mike Berry dropped his daughter off at school and encountered a little girl on the playground, crying because she was tired from sleeping in her family’s car and hungry from missing meals. After wondering why no one was stepping up to [...]

2019 Community Service Award Finalist Memphis Inner City Rugby United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC Charles Schwab Michael Deutsch has a deep passion for Memphis Inner City Rugby (MICR). When he first learned about the program four years ago, the coaches lacked funding, community engagement, and even practice fields. Many of the student-athletes faced adversity daily, [...]

2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Merrill Lynch Eric Candelori has volunteered with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation for the past forty years and sees his service to the organization as an honor to his late father’s legacy. The Marine Corps Scholarship Fund’s work is straight forward: it provides scholarships for the [...]

2018 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Milestones Autism Resources HW Financial Advisors Commonwealth Financial Network and National Financial Services Motivated by his two nephews’ struggles with autism, Steve Rudolph joined the Board of Directors at Milestones Autism Resources in 2011. After witnessing the many stressors and barriers his nephews face as autistic teenagers, Steve […]

2018 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner Funding the Future The Millstone Evans Group of Raymond James Raymond James Sacha Millstone serves as Board Chair of Funding the Future (FTF), an innovative musician-led financial literacy program that has performed from more than 125,000 students in 33 states and Canada. Musicians deliver messages to youth about […]

2018 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Okizu Hanson McClain Advisors TD Ameritrade When Pat Henry’s son, Nathan, was diagnosed with Leukemia, a counselor recommend his family attend a Family Camp program for support and to build a sense of community. Okizu provided Pat’s son with a space where he could feel like a child […]

2018 Global Impact Award Finalist Open Arms Home for Children Morgan Stanley In 2006, Bob and Sallie Solis took their life savings to purchase a 70-acre farm in South Africa that would eventually become Open Arms Home for Children. Over the past 12 years, Bob has worked tirelessly to build an orphanage that currently serves […]

2018 Global Impact Award Finalist CameroonONE & ONETrack International Ameriprise Financial David Shnitzer co-founded CameroonONE after a heartwrenching trip to Cameroon opened his eyes to the plight of orphans in the country. The organization is essentially a foster care system which helps children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other tragedies. CameroonONE […]

2018 Global Impact Award Winner Hope’s In Barrington Wealth Management Carson Group, TD Ameritrade, Fidelity & Cetera Advisor Networks In 2006, Jim Quigley and his family journeyed to Guatemala, where they inadvertently joined a group building playgrounds for local school children. Jim and his family found the service so moving and enjoyable, they continued to […]

2018 Community Service Award Finalist Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana Lakeside Wealth Management First Allied Securities / Cetera Financial Group Over the past eleven years, Tim Rice has worked closely with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, providing crucial leadership through capital campaigns and a merger. Tim has served […]

2018 Community Service Award Finalist Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Drowos Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors Bryan Drowos has had a transformative influence on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, where he has served as an outstanding young leader for twelve years and quickly rose within the organization as […]

2018 Community Service Award Winner American Red Cross in the National Capital Region Blisk Financial Group Spire Investment Partners, LLC Brenda Blisk is the Chairman and Founder of volunteer-run fundraiser called “In the Bag” (ITB), a designer handbag auction that benefits the American Red Cross National Capital Region (ARC). Since 2010, Brenda has provided visionary […]

2018 Catalyst Award Finalist Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center Merrill Lynch When Paul Wetmore became the Chairman of the Board at the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center in 2008, the organization’s outlook was bleak. Board members were leaving the organization, bills were piling up and leaders were seriously considering shutting the center down. Paul was […]

2018 Catalyst Award Finalist Family and Children’s Services Northwestern Mutual Cullen Douglass is passionate about serving children who cannot speak for themselves and his work with Family and Children’s Services allows him to reach those children, ensuring they do not fall through the cracks in the greater Nashville community. Cullen played an instrumental role in […]

2018 Catalyst Award Winner Magee Womens Research Institute and Foundation Coghill Investment Strategies Commonwealth Financial Network Inspired by the loss of a personal friend to ovarian cancer, Carrie Coghill became committed to learning more about ovarian cancer and how she could use her talents to help find a cure. The Magee Womens Research Institute and […]

2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Anti-Defamation League Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group In the mid-1990s, Ben Sax’s hometown of Larchmont, New York experienced acts of anti-Semitic vandalism. Swastikas and anti-Semitic phrases were spray painted on municipal buildings and the homes of Jewish families. This event inspired Ben to get involved with the Anti-Defamation […]

2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc. Piedmont Wealth Management, LLC LPL Financial, Inc. Over the past 13 years, Jerry Denney has been the driving force behind Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry – growing the pantry from a small operation run out of a church basement to an established non-profit operating […]

2017 Volunteer of the Year Finalist White Pony Express Integrē Wealth Management Raymond James & Associates In the fall of 2012, Mary Brooks received a call from a friend who wanted to start a program that would pick up food and goods from retailers and citizens who had surplus, and then deliver to those in […]

2017 Volunteer of the Year Finalist Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Georgia Chapter Jon Baker Financial Group Advisor Group – Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. Jon and Pam Baker’s lives were changed forever in 2002 when both of their sons were diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF affects a relatively small patient pool and does not attract […]

2017 Global Community Impact Award Finalist Fundacion Internacional Buen Samaritano Paul Martel, Inc. YHB Investment Advisors Pershing & Charles Schwab Paul Martel has been improving health outcomes by providing affordable healthcare and other humanitarian support to Ecuadorians for nearly twenty years. As founder of Fundacion Internacional Buen Samaritano Paul Martel, Inc. (FIBUSPAM), Paul’s impact in […]

2017 Global Community Impact Award Finalist Flying Doctors of America Ameriprise Financial Michael Altman values the opportunity to make a difference, not only in his own community, but in remote corners of the world as well. As a Flying Doctors of America volunteer, Michael leads medical missions into third world countries with doctors, dentists and […]

2017 Community Service Award Finalist Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County First Security Investments, LLC Advisor Group – SagePoint Financial, Inc. Over the past eight years, Jonna Keller has worked closely with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County (BGCSC), organizing fundraising events and offering guidance through leadership positions on its Board of […]

2017 Community Service Award Finalist Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management Jim Geraghty believes that children can truly thrive when they are guided down the right path. A product of public housing, scholarship programs and multiple mentor relationships, Jim has pledged his time and financial resources to Robert F. Kennedy […]

2017 Catalyst Award Finalist Building Bridges ISTO Advisors TD Ameritrade Institutional Nearly two decades ago, Paul Housey founded Building Bridges, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring underprivileged children in Pontiac, Mich. to believe in themselves by connecting them with adult role models and private high school scholarships. Since 2004, Building Bridges has partnered with Notre Dame […]

2017 Catalyst Award Finalist Fiorenza’s Food For Friends (F4) Summit Group Retirement Planners, Inc. LPL Financial, Inc. Derek Fiorenza has been concerned with food insecurity since his undergraduate days at Villanova University. His earliest efforts at feeding the hungry involved bringing his family together to serve 25 meals at a homeless shelter over the holidays […]

2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Our Nicholas Foundation Anselmo Investment Management Cambridge Research Investment, Inc. In 2003, Mark Anselmo’s son, Nicholas, was diagnosed with a disorder that wasn’t very prevalent at the time – autism. Mark and his wife felt isolated as time progressed and, after searching for support without much success, decided to create […]

2017 Volunteer of the Year Winner Los Angelitos de Encinitas, Inc. Merrill Lynch In 2008, Bill Sparks and his wife, Sarah, began volunteering at their children’s elementary school in Encinitas, Calif., a beach town with great economic diversity. As their engagement with the school deepened, they quickly realized the disparities in access to extracurricular and […]

2017 Global Impact Award Winner Effective Ministries Inc. (EMI) Equity Concepts Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. Michael Thaler is the founder of Effective Ministries Inc. (EMI), an international non-profit that works to improve the physical and spiritual lives of the communities it serves in Niger, Africa. During a mission trip to Niger in 2001, Michael witnessed […]

2017 Community Service Award Winner Crossroads Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC Charles Schwab & Fidelity Tom Reilly has had a transformative influence on Crossroads since he joined the Board of Trustees in 1993. Over Tom’s twenty-four years of service, he has helped transform Crossroads from an organization offering summer camp experiences into a high-quality, multi-year […]

2017 Catalyst Award Winner Community in Crisis The Falcon Financial Group AXA Advisors, LLC In 2013, Jody D’Agostini founded Community in Crisis following the overdose deaths of two young adults in her community. Both were long-time friends of her college-aged daughter, who tearfully asked her mother, “how many more have to die before someone will […]

Corporate Philanthropy Award – Advisory Firms A cornerstone of Sentinel’s mission is “We Care About How We Can Help,” which extends beyond financial advice and is a central part of the company’s culture of giving back. Based in Wakefield, Mass., Sentinel runs numerous volunteer programs each year. In 2016, the company added a new spin […]

Corporate Philanthropy Award – Financial Institutions In addition to Commonwealth Cares, which provides contributions of time, talent, and financial support to a wide range of charitable efforts, Commonwealth runs upwards of 40 philanthropic programs a year. Chemo Caps for Kids is a grassroots effort that began in 2009 when an employee’s son was diagnosed with […]

Volunteer Team Award Every year, Arnerich Massena & Associates Inc. has a special assignment for its staff: Mentor young children. On average, they reach 220 students annually at Irvington Elementary School by overseeing before – and after-school groups that nurture students’ reading and math abilities, along with offering supportive clubs that focus on potentially problematic […]

Grant Blindbury, a partner at FMB Wealth Management in Westlake Village, Calif., is grateful for the attention Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) received when he was honored as a finalist for the Invest in Others Awards in 2011. “The exposure and recognition I received personally from the IIO event provided me platforms to […]

As a finalist for the 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award, Mary Bersot genuinely believes in the power of many. “I am only one of many working to support MedShare International,” Mary explained. “There are thousands of volunteers and staff behind the scenes that have made it possible.”

The folks at Best Buddies have an audacious goal: to make it natural and normal to hire and be friends with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), said Gerry Klingman, president of Klingman & Associates in New York City. The IDD community includes those with Down’s syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, […]

Two friends leveraged their strengths six years ago and now hundreds of sick and neglected children in orphanages around the world are living better lives. In 2010, Michael T. Meltzer, portfolio manager at Tocqueville Asset Management, saw his friend, Maya Rowencak, feverishly struggling to buy and ship supplies to help orphans in the Philippines (and […]

“My father and other mentors instilled in me the importance of a strong community,” said Roy C. Jordan, wealth management adviser with Northwestern Mutual in Nashville, Tenn. “The stronger it is, the stronger I am.”

Michael J. Nathanson, CEO of the Colony Group in Boston, joined the board of the National Brain Tumor Society just in time to help it reinvent itself after it had merged with another organization. Living with a non-cancerous brain tumor himself, he was passionate about helping the largest nonprofit brain tumor organization in the world. […]

Mary Lou Arveseth, designated supervisor for Financial Network in Draper, Utah, co-founded the Utah chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in 2010 after her son died by suicide the year before. “We were stranded on a desert island of grief,” she said. “We had no resources to help us cope.”

Andy Seth has a very personal connection to his volunteer work with Minds Matter of Denver. “I was one of these students. My striving parents were immigrants from India and I grew up in a motel in LA. I’ve lived that fear of not having money. Education was my way out,” Andy explained during an […]

Volunteer Team Award North Star Resource Group Team Edward G. Deutschlander Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation North Star Resource Group Advisors Securian Financial Charitable giving is a way of life for the 300 advisors and employees of North Star Resource Group in Minneapolis (broker/dealer, Securian Financial Group Inc.). The firm’s financial advisors and other […]

2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Children’s Cancer Association BPG Wealth Management LLC Signator Investors, Inc. In 1999, Jeffrey Owens’s life was turned upside when his daughter, Melissa, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His daughter’s illness took a toll on his family, both emotionally and physically. During this period of time, Jeffrey was introduced to the […]

2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Institute for Educational Achievement Merrill Lynch In the early 1990s, Frank Lento’s daughter, Kate, was diagnosed with a disorder doctors did not fully understand – autism. Frank and his wife, Jennifer, felt as though their daughter’s future had been taken away. Rather than give up on his daughter, Frank undertook […]

2016 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. Edward Jones Ryan Harman met a disabled Marine veteran out on the river while fly fishing one afternoon in 2007 and the rest, as they say, is history. The Marine reminded Ryan that fly fishing “helps you think about the good stuff,” […]

2016 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Special Kids Network Coe Financial Group First Allied Securities – Cetera Financial Group Motivated by a nephew who struggles with a condition that impairs verbal expressive communication, Chad Coe founded the Special Kids Network in 1999. The organization seeks to create community awareness and raise funds in support […]

2016 Global Community Impact Award Finalist ShelterBox USA Tonkinson Financial Commonwealth Financial Network Steven Tonkinson values the opportunity to make a difference in the world, not only with his checkbook, but also with his hands in high-risk situations. As a ShelterBox Response Team Member, Steven has participated in ten different international deployments to deliver humanitarian relief […]

2016 Global Community Impact Award Finalist Beauty for Ashes Uganda Triloma Securities, LLC Larry Goff is a founding Board member and key leader at the international nonprofit Beauty for Ashes Uganda, an organization that seeks to empower women – especially single mothers and widows – to reach long-term sustainability for their families. After his daughter, […]

2016 Community Service Award Finalist The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis Raymond James Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Inspired by his own near-fatal car accident in 1999, Dan Jones and his wife, Caren, co-founded the Philadelphia Chapter of The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis in 2003, which serves as the fundraising arm of The Miami […]

2016 Community Service Award Finalist Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach Bryson Financial LPL Financial Over the past ten years, Trent Bryson has worked closely with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, providing financial expertise and guidance as a member of its Board of Directors. B&GC of Long Beach strives to enable […]

2016 Catalyst Award Finalist Children’s Oncology Services, Inc. Raymond James Raymond James & Associates Janel Huston has had a transformative influence on Children’s Oncology Services Inc. (COSI) since 1994, when she volunteered at the organization’s annual Boat Day, an event for kids with cancer that includes boating, BBQ and a pool party. As she spoke […]

2016 Catalyst Award Finalist Boston Youth Sanctuary Athena Capital Advisors LLC Fidelity Brokerage Services Lisette Cooper was a guiding force behind the creation of Boston Youth Sanctuary (BYS) in 2011, an innovative therapeutic after-school program that seeks to provide a safe, nurturing environment where at-risk youth are encouraged to express themselves positively and gain sustainable […]

2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Best Buddies International Klingman & Associates, LLC Raymond James When Gerry Klingman took a phone call from Anthony Kennedy Shriver back in 1990 to discuss an emerging nonprofit, he did not realize the transformative effect the organization would have on hundreds of thousands of lives twenty-six years later. At that point […]

2016 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Utah Chapter Financial Network Cetera Advisor Networks On March 20, 2009 at 3:00 AM, Mary Lou Arveseth received a phone call that forever changed her life: her son, Jed, was dead. He had taken his own life. As Mary Lou and her family […]

In partnership with Feeding America, 14,000 Ameriprise volunteers participated at 700 events across the country last year to prepare over 1.5 million meals for families in need. 100% of the company’s 226 senior leaders participate in its philanthropic efforts. For every $1,000 donated by advisors and their staff through the Ameriprise Community Relations site, the […]

100% of senior leaders and employees participate in the firm’s philanthropic efforts. Closes the office for one day each year so employees can participate in BRR Community Day, volunteering at firm-wide service projects in the Columbus area. Hosted a fundraiser for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which offers grief resources and care to those […]

2016 Global Community Impact Award Winner Maya’s Hope Foundation, Inc. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. Michael Meltzer watched as his good friend Maya spent precious time and financial resources assembling care packages for orphans around the world and wondered how she could reach even more children in need. He encouraged Maya to turn the concept into a […]

2016 Community Service Award Winner Green Hills Family YMCA/YMCA of Middle Tennessee Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual Investment Services Roy Jordan grew up as a self-described “Y Kid” – it was a safe, community-oriented environment and became a way of life for him and his brother. As an adult, Roy felt compelled to give back to his […]

2016 Catalyst Award Winner National Brain Tumor Society The Colony Group Fidelity, Charles Schwab & TD Ameritrade When Michael Nathanson joined the Board of the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) in 2011, the organization was at a critical juncture. Although the NBTS had been operating for eight years, it needed a strategic focus, a sustainable fundraising […]

Lynn Phillips-Gaines is a Certified Financial Planner and Principal of Phillips Financial, an independent firm affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services, in Starkville, Mississippi. Through her experience as a financial advisor, she became aware of the existing economic gap and began to wonder what she could do to help individuals rise from poverty. With incredible passion for […]

For financial advisor Rob Shick, winning the Community Service Award at the 2015 Community Leadership Awards was particularly meaningful. “I was honored and humbled to be selected as a winner. I was diagnosed with cancer 10 years to the month earlier and to have my family with me for the celebration was incredibly heartwarming,” Rob […]

Financial advisor Stacy Francis believes financial instability should never determine a person’s fate, especially a woman’s. Growing up, Stacy saw firsthand how her grandmother remained in an abusive marriage, “she didn’t leave because she feared she couldn’t support herself, that she wouldn’t be able to live on her own because she didn’t understand how to […]

In 2008, Elizabeth Verterano received the Community Leadership Award for nearly 30 years of service at the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County. “I was totally surprised and excited at being selected. I considered it a great honor and still do,” Elizabeth said. A financial advisor in New Wilmington, Penn., Elizabeth is a fierce advocate against […]

As the Executive Director of David’s Hope International and a financial advisor at AOG Wealth Management, Scott Sweat was overjoyed to be selected as the winner of the Global Community Impact Award at the 2012 Community Leadership Awards. “This award was an award for our entire team,” Scott remarked. “It was an amazing and huge […]

In 2008, when Mr. Leslie C. Quick, III joined the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson & Union (BBBSEHU), it was on the verge of collapse. BBBSEHU was the smallest youth mentoring organization in New Jersey–serving only 116 youth and struggling to fund their endeavors. The non-profit took a bold […]

For Michael Skrynecki, winner of the first-ever Invest in Others Catalyst Award in 2014, helping others was never about recognition. “None of us  are nominated for what we do, do it for the accolades,” said Michael. “Recognition was never the primary motivation for me.” This comes as no surprise when considering the focus of Michael’s […]

Few people pair music and finance, but for Maestro Arturo Sandoval and Wealth Manager Michael Velazquez it was the perfect combination.  “When I asked what Arturo wanted to be remembered for, I heard nothing about his Grammys or Presidential Medal of Freedom. After reflecting wistfully, I heard: ‘I want to do something for children,’” Michael […]

Establishing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne was more than an act of kindness for Rudy Mahara, it was heritage. “My motivation goes back to my parents, who were both leaders in the community. They struggled to make ends meet, yet they understood the importance of charity,” Rudy reflected. Following in his parents’ […]

Winning the 2010 Invest in Others Global Community Impact Award came at a pivotal time for Paul R. Martel and the Clinica Dulce Refugio, now known as Fundacion Internacional Buen Samaritano Paul Martel (FIBUSPAM). The organization, which is dedicated to delivering integrated health care and humanitarian support to Ecuadorians with limited economic resources, was at […]

From an early age, David Sheppard was an active participant in the Boy Scouts of America. “Scouting taught me about the value of giving back. I benefited greatly from the time, resources, and efforts from members of my community who made participating possible for me,” he said. Today, David volunteers more than 1,200 hours per […]

For any other person, a lifetime of volunteer work, capstoned by winning a prestigious Invest in Others Community Leadership Award, would slow them down, but for Karen Altfest it was just the opposite. Back in 2012, the Principal Advisors and EVP, Client Relations at Altfest Personal Wealth Management®, earned the Community Service Award for her […]

When Tracye Caughell’s two daughters had an interest in musical theater, but no outlets to explore it, Tracye discovered that other children and families in her community faced the same challenge. That was the impetus she needed to rally the community to come together to form a nonprofit that would provide quality musical theatre performance […]

Lisa Bodine knows firsthand the impact that the Lenape Valley Foundation has on members of its community encountering mental health, substance use, intellectual or developmental challenges. Lenape has helped Lisa’s son, Brian, for over 20 years. Brian is an individual with intellectual disabilities and a poster child for how early intervention, family, community and job […]

Tom Bodine became involved with Habitat for Humanity when his son was in Boy Scouts—he realized that the model of giving those in need a hand up rather than a hand out was a model he could endorse and could pass on to his children. He was soon not only building homes, but also serving […]

Marti has been an active volunteer in the Denver community since she moved there in 2005. Her greatest contribution has been to the Denver Health Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the Denver Health & Hospital Authority. Denver Health is one of the most important institutions in its community–one third of all Denver residents receive […]

When Mark and his wife, Kathy, learned that their son, Nicholas, was autistic, it was challenging. Resources and support were limited, so they had to feel their way through the process, collecting information along the way. This inspired them to start the Our Nicholas Foundation–they didn’t want others to have to go through the same […]

For Shelly Church, walking is more than a way to stay physically fit. It’s also a way to honor her son, Kyle. Kyle was especially devoted to the American Heart Association’s annual Heart Walk in the Tampa Bay region. He participated nine times and even served as the walk’s grand marshal one year – raising […]

Throughout her career, Brenda has donated a portion of her salary to charity. In 2010, she decided to concentrate her efforts on the Red Cross, which has a far-reaching impact on the metro Washington community. In 2014, the Red Cross of the National Capital Region provided assistance to 3,903 military families. Red Cross volunteers meet […]

Jon Beyrer co-founded the Professional Alliance for Children as an all-volunteer, public charity that provides free financial and legal advice to the families of sick and injured children. The charity’s work is in an under-served area of need, where for-profit assistance is often unaffordable and public and non-profit resources are scarce. Not only does Jon […]

Fred Baerenz was inspired to get involved with David’s Hope International after his colleague, Scott Sweat, won our 2012 Global Community Impact Award for starting the non-profit. David’s Hope partners with local leaders and organizations in Eburru, Kenya to develop and implement solutions to poverty, such as child education, medical services, feeding programs, and biblical […]

Robert has brought the same entrepreneurial spirit and passion to Southern Highlands Reserve that he has brought to the investment industry for the past 35 years. Robert founded the Southern Highlands Reserve, which is dedicated to sustaining the natural ecosystems of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the preservation, cultivation and display of plants native to […]

As the 2014 Global Community Impact Award winner, Tyson used the charitable donation from Invest in Others to help foster community development and provide care to widows and orphans around the world through the organization he founded, Children’s World Impact. We caught up with Tyson to see where the organization stands today and how the […]

2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Wellspring, Inc. Todd Asset Management, LLC Charles Schwab Since his oldest son was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in 1978, Bos Todd has been a pioneering leader and advocate on behalf of services for persons with Schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses at local, regional and national levels. In 1979, he became […]

2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist Buckets for Hunger, Inc. Wayne Bisek Financial Services Cetera Advisor Networks After growing up in rural poverty, Wayne Bisek has spent most of his adult life combining his love for sports with his passion to feed hungry. Over twenty years ago, Bisek had the opportunity to raise money for a […]

2015 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist Easter Seals Veterans Count Weisman, Tessier, Lambert & Halloran LPL Financial Thomas Tessier, a veteran who served five combat tours of duty in Vietnam, is a passionate volunteer of Veterans Count, a program of Easter Seals NH that provides a safety net to service members and their loved […]

2015 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist

2015 Global Community Impact Award Finalist Richard Albert Gagné Charitable Foundation Richard A. Gagné & Associates VSR Financial Services—Cetera Financial Group Since his first trip to Africa in 2003, Richard Gagne has been inspired by the people of Kisubi, Uganda and heavily involved in helping them. His early donations brought Bishop Comboni College back from […]

2015 Global Community Impact Award Finalist Agape International Inc. D.K. Brede Investment Management Company Commonwealth Financial Network Agape International, founded in 2003, houses, feeds, and educates orphans in Hyderabad, India who have lost their parents to AIDS. The Agape orphanage includes seven family-style homes and a school for 250 children, including many who were born […]

2015 Community Service Award Finalist United Way of Metropolitan Nashville Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC Chad Greer’s leadership over the past 15 years has helped to create an entire new generation of community leaders who now provide significant support and volunteer service to the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, sustaining more than 63 […]

2015 Community Service Award Finalist YMCA of Greater Boston/West Roxbury YMCA Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC A strong, well-respected community leader and life-long resident of Boston’s West Roxbury neighborhood, Frederick J. Gillis III was recruited to lead the effort to rebuild the community’s local YMCA in order to expand and enhance its programs. He joined the […]

2015 Catalyst Award Finalist Savvy Ladies Francis Financial, Inc. Charles Schwab and Shareholders Service Group Inspired by her grandmother’s life circumstances, Stacy Francis wanted to change the way women think and educate themselves about money. With that goal in mind, in 2003 she founded Savvy Ladies, a non-profit organization that provides personal finance education and […]

2015 Catalyst Award Finalist The Dreamweaver Foundation Carson Wealth Management Group LPL Financial, TD Ameritrade Ron and Jeanie Carson created The Dreamweaver Foundation to fulfill end-of-life Dreams for seniors with terminal illnesses. They make Dreams come true as a special way to thank and honor impoverished seniors in their last days – and to create […]

2015 Corporate Philanthropy Award Winner

2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Capital Partners for Education Steward Partners Global Advisory Raymond James Financial Services Compelled by the dramatic disparity in educational achievement in our national’s capital, Theodore A. Schwab co-founded Capital Partners for Education (CPE) in 1992 to break the multi-generational cycle of poverty. Mentors, scholarships and other life changing resources are […]

2015 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner Strawbery Banke Museum Whole Wealth Management, LLC Commonwealth Financial Network In 2012, Jeffrey Keefe spearheaded a project that has transformed Strawbery Banke Museum and the community of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His idea was to create a professional outdoor ice-skating rink in open space at the museum that would […]

2015 Global Community Impact Award Winner Gift of Life Mid-South Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC In 2007, after learning about Gift of Life International, Bill Pickens founded Gift of Life Mid-South (GOLM), which facilitates free medical service to children suffering from heart disease and similar medical conditions, as a local Rotary project. He obtained 501(c)(3) nonprofit […]

2015 Community Service Award Winner Oregon Health & Science University Foundation Robert W. Baird & Co. Bank of New York For 10 years, Rob Shick has been instrumental in raising millions of dollars for the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Foundation, advancing cancer research and care to benefit patients in Oregon and worldwide. In […]

2015 Catalyst Award Winner Ironheart Foundation Morgan Stanley Armiger’s calling to volunteer stems from the loss of his infant child, Emerson, who died tragically due to a congenital heart defect. Subsequently, Armiger has been a catalyst for two nonprofits in a dynamic, sustainable way over the past 15 years making a difference in the lives […]

By Marco Flores and Jessica Dunham While co-leading a mission trip to Kenya in 2009, Scott Sweat, a financial advisor with AOG Wealth Management in Richmond, Virginia, met a child who suffered from neglect, malnourishment, and poverty. This child, named David, was the inspiration for David’s Hope International, a non-profit that partners with Camp Brethren […]

  In 2013, when Mike Swallow, Vice President at CBIZ Retirement Plan Services, won the Invest in Others Volunteer of the Year Award, he shared the story of veteran Alex Haworth and his young family, whose dream home in Olmsted Falls, Ohio was infested with mold and needed to be rebuilt. Mike is President and […]

Lifetime Achievement Award Lexington Dream Factory The Richardson Salsman Group Morgan Stanley When Jim Richardson of the Richardson Salsman Group at Morgan Stanley in Lexington, Ky. and his wife Stacie were inspired to start the Lexington Dream Factory in 1988, they didn’t go it alone. They brought along a core group of 38 friends — […]

Lifetime Achievement Award The Charlotte Optimist Club Optimist International North Carolina West District Questar Capital Corporation In 2009, John Laurents, serving his fourth term as president of the Charlotte, N.C., Optimist Club, had a vision of a program that would both keep kids from dropping out of school and encourage younger people to become Optimists. […]

Volunteer of the Year Award United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee Uhler and Vertich Financial Planners, LLC Raymond James The Great Recession devastated the southwest-central area of Florida served by the United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee counties. The collapse of the housing industry wiped out the economy of coastal Lee […]

Volunteer of the Year Award Livastride Foundation Peterson Wealth Services Raymond James “The subject of suicide is taboo, but it needs to be talked about. We can’t tap-dance around it,” said Billy Peterson, owner of Peterson Wealth Services in South Ogden, Utah, and founder of the Livastride Foundation. Soon after his brother Brody took his […]

Global Community Impact Award Pure Water for the World Lincoln Financial Advisors In 2010, Randy Thompson, a financial advisor with Lincoln Financial Advisors in Houston, volunteered to go to Haiti to survey the work of Pure Water for the World as a representative of his local Rotary club. “It was a sea change in my […]

Global Community Impact Award 2014 Finalist The Lingap Children’s Foundation Richmond Brothers, Inc. Fidelity Investments For 11 years, Dave Richmond, partner with Richmond Brothers Inc. in Jackson, Mich., provided stateside financial support for the Lingap Children’s Foundation. The group serves children in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines who are victims of abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment. […]

Community Service Award Autism Society of Alabama The Pearson, Hand & Chua Group Morgan Stanley Ever since his grandson was diagnosed with autism 12 years ago, Bill Pearson has worked with a grandfather’s passion to improve the lives of people with autism and their families. Mr. Pearson, a financial advisor and senior vice president with […]

Community Service Award Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia Signature Family Wealth Advisors Charles Schwab As chairman of the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, Wistar Morris has led the organization in a fundraising campaign that brought in $1.5 million, enabling the club to open its sixth site within its […]

Catalyst Award The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association The Cox Shook Harsch Group Morgan Stanley “What I’ve been seeing is a serious disconnect from high school to college and beyond that is impeding kids’ ability to succeed,” said George Cox, a certified financial planner and senior vice president of the Cox Shook Harsch Group at Morgan […]

Catalyst Award Summer of a Lifetime Baldwin-Marcovici Group Merrill Lynch “These kids in poverty, if given an opportunity and a chance, will be successful,” said Patrick Baldwin, a senior vice president with the Baldwin-Marcovici Group in Chicago, part of the private banking and investment group at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Baldwin has volunteered since 1999 for […]

Lifetime Achievement Award Foundation for Financial Planning Armstrong, Fleming & Moore, Inc. Commonwealth Financial Network Since 1996, Alexandra Armstrong, principal of Armstrong Fleming & Moore Inc. in Washington, D.C., has helped raised more than $10 million for the Foundation for Financial Planning, an organization that focuses on providing pro-bono financial planning to low- and moderate-income […]

Community Service Award Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services Hanson McClain Advisors Hanson McClain Securities Patrick McClain, chief executive of Hanson McClain Advisors in Sacramento, Calif., has been volunteering for Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services for more than half his life. His relationship the organization began when he was a college student in 1985. […]

Catalyst Award The Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation Morgan Stanley “There are so many unknowns when you have an orphan disease,” said Mike Skrynecki, a financial adviser with Morgan Stanley in Atlanta. He is the founder and chairman of the Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families of children with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, a rare immunodeficiency disease that […]

Volunteer of the Year Award Starkville Bridges Out of Poverty Phillips Financial Raymond James For many years, Lynn Phillips-Gaines, a principal of Phillips Financial in Starkville, Miss., held a common misconception about people in poverty. “I used to see those less fortunate make poor financial decisions and think that it was because they were irresponsible […]

Global Community Impact Award Children’s World Impact FORM Wealth, LLC Raymond James In the three years since Tyson Jon Ray launched Children’s World Impact, the nonprofit’s momentum has been unstoppable. Mr. Ray is a founding partner of FORM Wealth Management Group in Lake Geneva, Wis. The charity, which focuses on care and community development for […]

Volunteer of the Year Award The Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism (NEOPAT) CBIZ Retirement Plan Services CBIZ Financial Solutions Michael J. Swallow, senior vice president at CBIZ Retirement Plan Services in Cleveland, is leading the way for the next generation of philanthropists. Mr. Swallow and his team co-founded the Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism (NEOPAT) […]

Community Service Award Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. (HEP) ProVise Management Group, LLC NFP Securities If we spend all of our time with affluent people, eventually that becomes the definition of the world for us,” said Bruce Fyfe, executive vice president of ProVise Management Group in Clearwater, Florida. “Working at the Homeless Emergency Project has provided […]

Global Community Impact Award Casa Para Niños Aleluya Edward Jones Jessica Jones, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in The Woodlands, Texas, expresses her deep faith through her extraordinary charitable giving. For the past nine years, Ms. Jones and her husband, Michael, have donated full college funding to 250 college students in Guatemala — to […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winston-Salem BB&T Scott & Stringfellow BB&T Securities When Brett and Wendy Hoge were newlyweds, they started their family in an unusual way — they signed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winston-Salem for a “Little Brother,” as part of a “couples match.” Mr. Hoge is senior […]

Volunteer Team Award Mission of Hope Rather & Kittrell Capital Management Fidelity Investments It’s like stepping back in time. People live in run-down shacks with no heat in the winter and no running water,” said Chris Kittrell, describing one of the impoverished areas of Tennessee served by the Mission of Hope. Mr. Kittrell, a partner, […]

Volunteer of the Year Heartstrings Community Foundation The Capital Group, LLC Questar Capital Integrating people with developmental disabilities into the community is priority No. 1 for William “Mack” Hull and his wife, Anne, founders of the Heartstrings Community Foundation in Overland Park, Kansas. Mr. Hull is a principal of the Capital Group, LLC, also in […]

Volunteer Team Award Boys & Girls Clubs of King County InfluenceHer Program Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC Moss Adams Securities & Insurance LLC Erica Coogan is worried that the media is pressuring young girls to sabotage their own futures. “This pressure is causing girls in middle schools to see themselves as sex objects, not potential […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Atlanta Youth Academy Gleneagles Group BNY Mellon Kids are more ready to take on responsibility than most adults think, said David Plyler, chief executive of Gleneagles Group in Atlanta. To that end, he created the demanding Leadership 101 program for the Atlanta Youth Academy, an inner-city Christian school. “This young generation is […]

Global Community Impact Award David’s Hope International Alpha Omega Group Wealth Management Multi-Financial Scott Sweat is a serious multi-tasker. His full-time job is as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. He also is a certifi ed financial planner and puts in 20 hours a week as an advisor with Alpha Omega Group Wealth Management […]

Community Service Award Yorkville Common Pantry Altfest Personal Wealth Management Schwab and TD Ameritrade Institutional The words “Upper East Side” and “food pantry” don’t usually go together. But in 1980, Karen Altfest, along with other residents of the affluent Manhattan neighborhood, saw a need she couldn’t ignore. “We saw people digging through garbage cans and […]

Community Service Award Triangle Aquatic Center CAPTRUST Financial Advisors CapFinancial Partners LLC “I’ve always had a passion for making a difference,” said Michael Curran, senior vice president of CAPTRUST Financial Advisors in Raleigh, NC. Mr. Curran is the guiding force behind the three-year-old Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC) in Cary, NC, a $22.5 million nonprofit aquatic […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities Ameriprise Financial “I’m interested in giving kids equal opportunity,” said David Benning, an advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Minneapolis, MN. “Kids don’t get a lot of choices in the hands they’re dealt, whether it’s parents, education, or resources,” he said. Mr. Benning was […]

Volunteer Team Award National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California & Nevada Chapter Ameriprise Financial “Everyone seems to know someone who has MS,” said Barry Engelman, an advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Los Angeles, CA, explaining in part his team’s impressive fundraising success on behalf of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Southern California and Nevada chapter. […]

Volunteer of the Year TroopTreats.com Morgan Stanley Smith Barney  Germaine Broussard’s story illustrates how a small act of kindness can snowball into a genuine movement. In 2003, Ms. Broussard, an advisor with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in McLean, VA, began baking cookies for four servicemen abroad. Along with the cookies, she sent a handwritten […]

Global Community Impact Medical Missions Ministries Brightworth Charles Schwab Advisor Services David Polstra remembers thinking, There’s no way I’m going on an overseas mission. But after participating in an eight- day mission trip to Guatemala in 1991, he returned home a changed man. “I felt I had to make a choice in my attitude: Either […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Bill Sparks Los Angelitos De Encinitas Merrill Lynch Bill Sparks believes in walking the talk of equality. In 2002, his 5-year-old son, David, entered public school in tony Encinitas in Southern California, where 20% of the students were low-income and Hispanic, and 80% affluent and white. Noticing the Spanish-speaking kindergarteners relegated to […]

Global Community Impact Award Paul R. Martel Centro Medico Integral “Dulce Refugio” YHB Investment Advisors, Inc. Charles Schwab & Co. and Pershing Advisor Solutions Why does Paul Martel focus so much of his volunteer energy on needy children in a foreign country? “I’ve seen poverty in the U.S., but not the same level of suffering […]

Community Service Award John P. Hyland, CFP® Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of New Jersey Morristown Financial Group LPL Financial “I never understood or truly appreciated how cancer affects a family,” said John Hyland of Morristown (N.J.) Financial Group (broker dealer, LPL Financial). “The impact is massive,” he said. “It’s like getting hit by a bus. […]

Volunteer of the Year Award Robert B. Wolford Charity | Operation Homefront Company | Hollencrest Capital Management Broker/Dealer | J.P. Morgan In 2008 alone, Operation Homefront met more than 65,000 needs for its constituency – active-duty military families. “We get in there and solve problems,” said the nationwide nonprofit’s chairman, Rob Wolford of Laguna Niguel, […]

Volunteer Team Award James M. Thompson, Rick Fingerman, Kristin Pena and The FPA of Massachusetts Charity | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Company | FPA of Massachusetts Broker/Dealer | LPL Financial (Village Financial Partners) “I never knew we were tapping such a deep vein of compassion,” Jim Thompson, pro bono chairman of the Financial Planning Association of […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Brett S. Ellen Charity | Turn Kindness on Helping Hands Company | American Financial Network Broker/Dealer | Securities America Brett Ellen, president of American Financial Network, thinks big. Eight years ago, in an effort to teach his youngest sons about giving back to the community, he didn’t merely involve them in charitable […]

Community Service Award Robert E. Wamhoff Charity | Just Because We Care Company | Wamhoff Financial Planning & Accounting Services, Inc. Broker/Dealer | VSR Financial Services, Inc. Ask Bob Wamhoff why he spends countless volunteer hours and air miles helping an impoverished village in Honduras, and his explanation is simple: “We [in the United States] […]

Volunteer of the Year Award Mike Berry Kids Aid Colorado West Financial Advisors Cambridge Investment Research “We didn’t know the size of the hole we uncovered,” said Mike Berry of Colorado West Financial Advisors in Grand Junction, Colo. (broker/dealer, Cambridge Investment Research),referring to the pandemic of child hunger in his community. While walking his young […]

Richard England Jr. Volunteer of the Year Award Mr. Richard England, Jr., a master of the Spanish language, began his humanitarian efforts 15 years ago as a mentor to homeless youth through the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, DC, an organization which helps over 4,000 multicultural low-income youths through culturally-sensitive programs to encourage academic […]

Mentoring Excellence Award At the age of 26, Marc Turner accepted a part-time position as a basketball coach at Church Farm School in Paoli, PA. Sixteen years thereafter, the president and owner of Renaissance Advisory Group LLC., is considered by many as a coach and mentor, both on and off the court. As taught to […]

Volunteer Team Award After serving as a board member for several non-profit organizations, Frank Martin, senior partner at Martin Capital Management LLP in Elkhart, IN, felt his “ivory tower” view was causing him to miss what was happening in the trenches. Ten years ago, he opted to become a mentor for underprivileged students at a […]

Community Leadership Award For almost 30 years, Ms. Elizabeth Verterano, a financial advisor in New Wilmington, PA, has campaigned against domestic violence. With the guidance and leadership of Ms. Verterano, the crisis hotline and emergency shelter of Lawrence County was launched in 1981. Today the shelter, comprised solely of volunteers, also offers transitional housing, counseling, […]

Mentoring Excellence Award Ken Clark has an affinity for a group of people whom others might view as unreachable: wayward teens. By volunteering with the local chapter of Young Life, a national group that uses mentors to help teens develop the skills and attitudes needed to reach their full potential. When his investment firm was […]

Volunteer of the Year Award Many years ago, Gerry Strid stepped off a commuter train without socks. When his son asked about his missing socks, the answer was that a homeless person needed them more than he did. He has dedicated immeasurable time and energy for the last seven years to Project H.O.M.E., a non-profit […]

Community Leadership Award In the aftermath of a childhood friend’s death from brain cancer more than 20 years ago, Barry Glassman began his crusade to turn tragedy into triumph. Armed with organizational and networking skills, the senior vice president at McLean, Va.-based Cassaday & Company Inc. embarked on a mission to help fund the search […]