2022 Charitable Champion
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, and funds to donate?
The Executive Leadership Team meets to decide the financial and logistical aspects of our charitable giving focused on addressing immediate needs in the communities where we live and work. Many of the charities we work with are long-standing partners who count on our support to meet each year’s initiatives.
How do you motivate your employees to participate in the firm’s philanthropic programs?
Our employees are internally motivated to volunteer with our charitable partners because we love the needs they address in our communities. Giving is woven into the fabric of our company and led by example by our CEO, Greg Hammond who has a heart for creating positive impact and making the world a better place. We feel Greg and his partner Scott’s love for sharing the fruits of our labor and want to join in the excitement.
How do you define and measure the success of your overall philanthropic program?
Our success is defined by the feedback we receive from the organizations and the people we help. Everything Greg and Scott do is in service to helping clients, our team, our families and our community explore our true purpose, master our money mindset, and feel confident about investing, so we can boldly step into the fulfilling future we imagine.
What sets your program apart from others?
Our company is small, but for its size, we are mighty givers. The partners decided they would give generously to charity when they first purchased the firm on the founder’s retirement. Giving is in the very fabric of Hammond Iles and in the hearts of the partners. Our clients join us in these efforts and add to the excitement of making a meaningful difference every day.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your firm’s philanthropic efforts? In what ways have you pivoted as a result?
As the pandemic hit hard, Greg Hammond, CFP®, CPA and Scott Iles swung into action. We began working from home so we stayed safe and healthy. They did not lay off a single team member. Instead they reduced expenses, hired two new employees, and rallied our entire team to aid the community, help people feel confident about money, and worry less.
Greg and Scott matched $25K in donations to charities on the frontlines of COVID-19. We supplied thousands of masks at a food drive, supported food pantries, and inspired hundreds by pivoting to online financial education workshops that brought comfort and conversations about purpose, money and investing to family dinner tables.
Recognizing that children’s healthcare needs were as great as ever, they matched donations toward the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Infusion Centers which provided playful, interactive ‘campsites’ for kids undergoing life-saving treatments. Greg ran 10k and 5k marathons to help raise funds for the patients, families, and teams who help make kids better at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Seeing the need for leadership we sponsored Leadership Greater Hartford’s Third Age Initiative, a United Nations sanctioned program where people channel their wisdom and experience to give back to the community.
Programs offered by Hammond Iles Wealth Advisors:
- Charity dollar match program
- Employee volunteer days program
- CT Children’s fundraising /friendraising
- Leadership Greater Hartford 3rd Age Initiative