Adviser community leaders honored

Gerry Strid, Ken Clark, Barry Glassman and Arnerich Massena & Associates Inc. were named winners of the first annual 2007 Community Leadership Awards, presented by the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation and InvestmentNews, at the Hilton Hotel in New York tonight.
Entries were evaluated based on an adviser or adviser team’s level of involvement in an organization, their contributions and the lasting impact of their efforts.
Mr. Strid, managing director for Wachovia Securities in Berwyn, Pa., was named Volunteer of the Year for his work with Project H.O.M.E, a nonprofit group that works ith homeless people in Philadelphia.
In addition to working as a street level volunteer and board member, Mr. Strid helped the group raise $1.5 million last year.
Accepting for his father Gerald Strid, was Eric Strid, managing director of Strid Wealth Management Group in Berwyn, Pa. and a partner in the business with his father.
“My dad would see homeless guys on the street, many of whom were Vietnam vets. He had just missed going to Vietnam himself and knew these guys had just taken a small wrong turn, and felt an obligation to do something about it.,” said Mr. Strid.
Mr. Clark, an independent financial planner in Laguna Niguel, Calif., was honored for mentoring at-risk teens through the local chapter of Young Life, a national mentoring organization.
A mentor for twelve years, Mr. Clark became director of the local chapter in 2002.
Since then, the group has gone from providing 1,000 yearly volunteer mentoring hours to more than 10,000 hours annually.
“Volunteering and caring for people is caught and not taught,” said Mr. Clark.
“If it weren’t for people like my wife and my father who showed me how to step into the lives of others, there is no way I’d be worthy of an award like this.”
Mr. Glassman, senior vice president for Cassady & Co. Inc. in McLean, Va., was honored for community leadership work in helping to fund the search for a brain cancer cure.
A board member for the Brain Tumor Society, Mr. Glassman has also been a driving force behind the Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers Race for Hope, an annual Washington-area event that raised $1.5 million for brain cancer research this year.
Arnerich Massena & Associates Inc., a Portland, Ore. investment and consulting firm, was honored for its volunteer work mentoring young children at a local elementary school.
“After my friend died of a brain tumor, instead of sitting around and being upset, I decided to do something about it. If you’re passionate about something, challenge yourself and dive right into it.,” said Mr. Glassman.
The awards were presented by the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation and InvestmentNews.
For their exemplary leadership and contributions to their communities, the winners received $10,000.
Finalists received $2,500.