Honor Includes $12,500 Donation to Local Charity

CALABASAS, Calif., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Brett S. Ellen, president and CEO of Calabasas-based American Financial Network, received the Community Leadership Award in the Mentoring Excellence category presented by Invest in Others Charitable Foundation and InvestmentNews magazine. Ellen traveled to New York City where he and fellow financial advisors from across the country were honored during the third annual Community Leadership Awards Dinner on September 30 for their outstanding leadership and commitment to making a positive difference in their communities.

"We are delighted to recognize the hard work and generosity of financial advisors who dedicate countless hours to helping those in need," said Kandis Bates, president of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. "The Community Leadership Awards pay tribute to the philanthropic spirit of financial advisors by highlighting their commitment to strengthening their communities and enriching the lives of others."

Ellen was chosen for his impressive work with Turn Kindness On - Helping Hands (www.TKOHelpingHands.org), an organization established to promote community involvement and social responsibility among young children. Ellen's involvement with TKO runs the gamut from co-founder and board member to hands-on participant in service projects. Ellen actively engages local youth in volunteer activities inspiring many to clean up beaches, run bake sales to help end childhood hunger, visit disabled children, make and distribute sandwiches to the homeless and collect money for children in Kenya and Indonesia.

"Eight years ago, in an effort to teach our youngest sons about giving back to the community, my wife Mandy and I helped them form their own non-profit organization. Not only have my children and the numerous other kids that have joined this effort learned empathy, but their eyes have been opened to what the world is like for so many other children, locally and internationally. They want to make things better."

"Selecting this year's finalists from the nearly 400 nominations was quite a challenge," said Suzanne Siracuse, publisher of InvestmentNews and a member of the board of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. "Our judges were awed by the contributions made by financial advisors to their communities. All of the twelve finalists are outstanding role models and should serve as an inspiration to financial advisors across the industry."

Awards were presented in the following four categories: Community Service Award, Volunteer of the Year Award, Mentoring Excellence Award and Volunteer Team Award. The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation presented a donation of $12,500 to each category honoree's charity and a $2,500 donation to all category finalists' charities.

The Community Leadership Awards accepted nearly 400 nominations of financial advisors affiliated with any brokerage firm, broker/dealer or RIA firm across the country for their roles as leaders and active volunteers in community organizations. The organizations benefiting from the involvement of dedicated financial advisors represent a broad range of important humanitarian causes, including education, housing, medical research, after-school programs, violence prevention and many more.

About Brett Ellen and American Financial Network

Brett Ellen, founder and president of American Financial Network, is a financial planner and investment advisor representative with Securities America Advisors who specializes in wealth management and corporate benefit planning services. Additionally, Ellen established and is an active part of the Financial Solutions Alliance, a network of financial service providers from across the country that work collaboratively to address the financial and business needs of their clients. Unprecedented in his ability to serve both individual investors and corporate planners, Ellen is recognized by Securities America as their top advisor.

As a California native, Ellen believes strongly in giving back to his community. He and his firm actively support a variety of non-profit organizations. In 2008, the Muscular Dystrophy Association awarded Ellen the prestigious Humanitarian of the Year Award for his philanthropic endeavors and dedication towards making a difference. Ellen writes a finance blog for children - www.KidsFinanceCoach.com - to help them understand important concepts and become financially literate and responsible adults. For more information about Brett Ellen, visit www.afn-net.com.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation:

Established in 2006, the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation is a registered 501 (c)(3) charity founded with the mission of encouraging and supporting the philanthropic and volunteer activities of financial advisors in their local communities. The Invest in Others Mission is achieved through a community-based philanthropic approach that seeks to strengthen neighborhoods by empowering those who are committed to serving others in their professional and personal lives. As mentors, volunteers, fundraisers and leaders, financial professionals lend their unique skills and perspectives to the challenges and opportunities facing their neighbors.

SOURCE American Financial Network

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.afn-net.com
http://www.TKOHelpingHands.org