The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation and InvestmentNews have recognized the philanthropic efforts of 15 advisers and 10 financial firms, naming them as finalists for the 2016 Community Leadership Awards.
The tenth annual awards will be given to five advisers, one from each of five separate categories, and two firms, at an awards dinner Sept. 29 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.
Finalists for the adviser awards, which include a charitable contribution of up to $25,000, worked with a range of causes including medical research, suicide prevention and youth development. Charities of the other 10 finalists each receive $5,000 checks.
“These 15 advisers have raised over $14 million in the past three years and spend an average of 30 hours per month volunteering to make a difference,” said Megan McAuley, executive director of Invest in Others. “These individuals are truly making an impact, and we’re thrilled to recognize them for it.”
The finalists were nominated by their peers and selected based on their leadership, dedication, contribution, inspiration and impact on the communities they worked to help, she said. They were chosen from hundreds of nominations received by the foundation.
The three finalists for the Catalyst Award, presented to an adviser who has demonstrated an active and entrepreneurial vision for change for at least three years, are Lisette Cooper of Athena Capital Advisors for the Boston Youth Sanctuary, Janel Huston of Raymond James for Children’s Oncology Services and Michael J. Nathanson of The Colony Group for the National Brain Tumor Society.
The three people who became finalists for the Community Service Award are Trent Bryson of Bryson Financial for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, Daniel C. Jones of Raymond James for The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis and Roy C. Jordan of Northwestern Mutual for the Green Hills Family YMCA/YMCA of Middle Tennessee.
The three Global Community Impact Award finalists are Larry Goff of Triloma Securities for Beauty for Ashes Uganda, Michael Meltzer of Tocqueville Asset Management for Maya’s Hope Foundation and Steven Tonkinson of Tonkinson Financial for ShelterBox USA.
Volunteer of the Year Award finalists are Mary Lou Arveseth of Financial Network for Utah for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Chad Coe of Coe Financial Group for Special Kids Network and Ryan Harman ofEdward Jones for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc.
Finalists for the Lifetime Achievement Award are Gerard Klingman of Klingman & Associates for Best Buddies International, Frank Lento ofMerrill Lynch for the Institute for Educational Achievement and Jeffrey Owens of BPG Wealth Management for Children’s Cancer Association.
This is the second year the foundation and InvestmentNews are giving out Corporate Philanthropy Awards, recognizing firms that have creatively incentivized employee giving through programs like volunteer time off, matching gifts and events.
One of the five financial advice firms and one of the five financial institutions that are finalists will be given awards, which include a $1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
Last year, employees and leaders of the 10 finalists volunteered 107,000 hours and had an average employee participation rate of 76%, Ms. McCauley said.
The five financial advice firm finalists are Budros, Ruhlin & Roe; The Kelly Group; Lakeside Wealth Management; North Star Resource Group; and Optivest Wealth Management.
The five financial institution finalists are Advisors Excel, Ameriprise Financial, CNL Financial Group, National Life Group and Natixis Global Asset Management.
Honorable mentions for the adviser awards are listed below by category.
Catalyst Award: Teresa Darnielle-Morse of RBC Wealth Management for Billings Community Foundation, Devyn Duex of Pensionmark Financial Group for Nebula Dance Lab, Derek C. Fiorenza of Summit Group Retirement Planners for Fiorenza’s Food for Friends, Jon D. Goldstein of Goldstein & Associates for Madison4Kids, Russell T. Hill of Halbert Hargrove for Stanford Center on Longevity, Michael Kaufman of Merrill Lynch for Fairport Baptist Homes Foundation, Michael L. Kohner of Andersen Tax for Advisors for Philanthropic Impact, Jonathan A. Kolmetz of Oaks Wealth Management for Leather Apron Foundation, Phillip Shaun McDuffee of North Star Resource Group for Stop Alzheimer’s Now, Shirley Ratcliff of Olde Canal Financial/Prosperity Group for Purr…fect Companions Cat Adoption Center, Susan Smith of Riley Wealth Management for Humane Society of Young County and William Villafranco of Villafranco Wealth Management for Open Roads Academy.
Community Service Award: Peter J. Bacchiocchi of Allstate Financial Services for Worcester Pride, Bob Bonfiglio of Rise Private Wealth Management for Family Promise of Greater Nashua at Anne-Marie House, Mark G. Cooke of Heritage Financial for Manassas Chorale, Ronya A. Corey of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management for DC SCORES, Rahul Kothari of Ironview Capital Management for Miami Children’s Museum, Cort Meinelschmidt of Sentinel Capital Solutions for The Arc of Washington County, Geri E. Pell of Pell Wealth Partners for Treehouse Shakers, Charles H. Rieland of Morgan Stanley for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, Kyle A. Sadler of PRECEPT Wealth Management for Aldine Education Foundation, Morgan Rissel Tarr of Delegate Advisors for Bay.org, Dung Vu of MML Investors Services for Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation and Jeremy White of BlytheWhite for Hope Unlimited.
Global Community Impact Award: Jeffrey Draughon of Upton, Draughon & Bollinger for Baptist Medical Dental Missions International; Michelle Bertram of Bertram Financial for Big House Ministries (Operation Go); Jack Brewer of The Brewer Group for The Jack Brewer Foundation; Richard Fitzburgh of RBC Wealth Management for Foundation for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment; David Mallach of Merrill Lynch for University of Pennsylvania – Penn Medicine; David Shnitzer of Ameriprise Financial for CameroonONE; and Michael Thaler of Equity Concepts for Effective Ministries.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike Brown of Dynasty Financial Partners for Hope and Heroes; Shelly Church of Church & Box Planning Group of Raymond James for American Heart Association, SW Florida Chapter; Jeff Dobyns of Southwestern Investment Group/Raymond James for Men of Valor; Jeffrey A. Gay of Miller and Gay Investment Management/Raymond James for Christian School of York; Gregg Heller of Hennion & Walsh for Gift of Life Family House; Thomas McCarthy of McCarthy & Cox Retirement & Estate Specialists for Care Train of Union County; Stephen M. Polk of Polk Financial Services for Polk Foundation; Roger C. Reynolds of Coldstream Wealth Management for Outdoors for All Foundation; David E. Stone of Stone Consulting Group for Kidnected World; Ban Tran of Merrill Lynch – Global Wealth Management for Asian American LEAD; Brian Werdesheim of The Summa Group of Oppenheimer & Co. for The Fulfillment Fund; and Bruce C. Woodruff of Voya Financial Advisors for La Amistad Foundation.
Volunteer of the Year Award: Jeanette Brinkley of Key Investment Services for Cleveland Service Mission, Duane Chaney of Duane Chaney Wealth Management of Raymond James for Lee Memorial Health System Foundation, Chris Cosenza of Brookhaven Wealth Management for Visiting Nurse Health System, Anne L. Davidson of Wells Fargo Advisors for Vogel Alcove, Katheigh L. Degen of Twin Financial for Heartstrings Community Foundation, Steven D. Goodwin of Goodwin Insurance Agency for Disabled Sports USA, Thomas Moran of Moran Edwards Asset Management for Naples Children & Education Foundation, Craig M. Porter Rollins of LJCooper Wealth Advisors for Utah Valley University, Loren Pam Schwartz of Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management for American Heart Association, Thomas R. Seneca of T.M. Wealth Management for Cornerstones, Mark S. Sullivan of Seacoast Asset Management for Seacoast Family Food Pantry, and Janet L. Ziegler of UBS Financial Services for Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region.
