Financial Advisors Honored for Community Service at Sixth Annual Community Leadership Awards

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation, a public charity that supports the philanthropic and volunteer efforts of financial advisors in their local communities, hosted its sixth annual Community Leadership Awards on September 13, 2012, at Cipriani, 42nd Street in New York City.  Financial advisors from across the country were recognized during this event for their leadership and commitment to making a positive impact in their communities.

"Invest in Others is proud to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of financial advisors who have made service to their communities a focal point of their life's work," said Kandis Bates, president, Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. "The honorees' stories of hope and determination are truly inspirational, as each of them uniquely exemplifies both the mission of Invest in Others and the power of a single individual to make a profound and lasting difference in the lives of others."

"The difficulty of selecting from among so many impressive nominees is itself a testament to the caliber and the generosity of the people in our industry," said Suzanne Siracuse, vice president and publisher of InvestmentNews.  "Our judges continue to be inspired and humbled by the powerful example the honorees have set, and as the long-time media sponsor for the Community Leadership Awards, InvestmentNews is proud to support Invest in Others in recognizing financial advisors' service to communities across the country."  

Awards were presented in the following five categories: Community Service, Global Community Impact, Mentoring Excellence, Volunteer Team and Volunteer of the Year.  The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation presented a donation of $20,000 to each category honoree's charity and a $5,000 donation to all category finalists' charities. The category honorees include:

• For Community Service:  Karen C. Altfest of New York, NY (executive vice president at Altfest Personal Wealth Management, affiliated with Schwab and TD Ameritrade Institutional) was honored for her work with Yorkville Common Pantry.
  
• For Global Community Impact:  Scott Sweat of Great Falls, VA (financial advisor at Alpha Omega Group Wealth Management, affiliated with Multi-Financial) was honored for his work with David's Hope International.
  
• For Mentoring Excellence:  David Plyler of Atlanta, GA (chief executive at Gleneagles Group, affiliated with BNY Mellon) was honored for his work with the Atlanta Youth Academy.
  
• For Volunteer Team:  Erica Coogan and Kathryn Garrison of Seattle, WA (partner and financial advisor, respectively, at Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC, affiliated with Moss Adams Securities & Insurance LLC) were honored for their work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County - InfluenceHer Program.
  
• For Volunteer of the Year:  William M. Hull of Overland Park, KS (principal at The Capital Group, LLC, affiliated with Questar Capital) was honored for his work with the Heartstrings Community Foundation.

Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org and popular public speaker, served as the event's keynoter.   Best, a former social studies teacher in Bronx, NY, sensed that people would like to help distressed public schools and founded DonorsChoose.org, a revolutionary charity that allows individuals to fund specific projects for public education.

The Community Leadership Awards accepted hundreds of nominations for financial advisors from over 70 different broker/dealers and custodians. The organizations benefiting from the involvement of dedicated financial advisors represent a broad range of important humanitarian causes, including education, mentoring, counseling, hunger relief, after-school programs, community building and many more.

Following this year's awards dinner, Invest in Others honorees and finalists visited the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City's Time Square this morning, Friday, September 14. In honor of the occasion, Robert Moore, chairman of Invest in Others, rang the Opening Bell.

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 approach to philanthropy that seeks to strengthen neighborhoods from within by empowering those who are committed to serving others in their professional and personal lives. As mentors, volunteers, fundraisers and leaders, financial advisors lend their unique skills and perspectives to the challenges and opportunities facing their neighbors. Invest in Others is proud to support and promote these efforts to better our world one community at a time. For more information, visit www.investinothers.org.

About InvestmentNews

Published by Crain Communications Inc, InvestmentNews covers developments that affect the business of financial advisers, including news of industry trends and competition, legislation, people, products, suppliers and technology. It also covers the economy, retirement issues, taxes, estate planning and investments including mutual funds, equities, bonds, alternatives and real estate.

Media Contacts
For Invest in Others Charitable Foundation:
Michael Herley, Kekst and Company
(212) 521-4897
[email protected]

For InvestmentNews:
Diana Cheruvil, Marketing and Events Manager
(212) 210-0184
[email protected]

SOURCE Invest in Others Charitable Foundation