Awards honor advisers for their volunteer efforts

For the fourth consecutive year, I will have the privilege this summer of serving as a judge for the Community Leadership Awards, sponsored by InvestmentNews and the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation.

The Community Leadership Awards were created to recognize financial advisers from brokerage firms and registered investment advisory firms of all sizes for their roles as leaders and active volunteers in charitable organizations in their communities.

The awards pay tribute to the philanthropic spirit of advisers by honoring them for their dedication to their communities and the lasting impact of their efforts. Every one of the honorees exemplifies what is good about the financial advisory business.

With each passing year, the CLA entries have become more inspirational. After reading hundreds of stories of selfless advisers who give unstintingly of their time, energy and resources without seeking anything in return, all the judges — volunteer industry executives and key InvestmentNews staff members — share my sense of humility and appreciation.

“Thanks to the widespread enthusiasm for recognizing these outstanding financial advisers, we’ve successfully grown the event each year,” said Kandis Bates, executive vice president of marketing at LPL Financial, who serves as president of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation.

“As a result of industry support of the Community Leadership Awards, Invest in Others last year donated more than $70,000 to the worthy charities supported by the financial advisers who were honored. This year, with such strong momentum and the continued support of our event sponsors, we are looking forward to making an even greater impact with our fourth annual dinner in September,” Ms. Bates said.

This year’s award competition features five categories.

The Volunteer Team Award will be presented to a team of advisers and office staff members for their collective involvement over at least three years as volunteers for a charity in their community.

The Global Community Impact Award, which is new this year, will be presented to an adviser who has actively served for at least two years as a volunteer with a charity whose primary mission is to help those who live outside the United States and whose efforts have had a lasting effect on a foreign community.

The Community Service Award will be presented to an adviser who has made managerial contributions to a local non-profit organization — as a fundraiser, organizer, board member or other executive position — over a period of at least five years, who has made an outstanding contribution to the community and who has served with distinction.

The Mentoring Excellence Award will be given to an adviser who has actively mentored a young adult for at least two years and has demonstrated qualities as a role model and a champion for youth in his or her community.

The Volunteer of the Year Award will be given to an adviser who has actively served as a volunteer at one or more local non-profit organizations for at least two years and who has made a contribution considered to have had a lasting impact.

Judges evaluate each entry based on the person’s ability to motivate and inspire others to accomplish a specific goal or objective. Judges look for an ability to inspire other people to volunteer their personal time.

Entrants are also recognized for their efforts to create an indelible influence on other volunteers and in the community. Judges look for entrants who are recognized by others for their efforts in achieving the results desired through their courage and enthusiasm.

Selecting finalists from the hundreds of nominations isn’t easy. However, as in any other type of competition, there are those whose accomplishments stand out.

The award finalists will be announced and honored at a dinner on Sept. 14 at Cipriani in New York. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the inspirational husband and wife behind the best-selling book and motion picture “The Blind Side,” will serve as the evening’s keynote speakers.

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation will make a donation of $10,000 to each award winner’s charity. A $500 donation will also be made to each of the finalists’ charities.

If you know an adviser who is making a difference in their community, I urge you to share their story by submitting a nomination form.

For detailed information about this year’s Community Leadership Awards, visit InvestmentNews .com/communityawards.

Jim Pavia is the editor of InvestmentNews.

Related Topics: Just Thinking