Finalists announced for 12th annual Invest in Others Awards

Fifteen advisers and six companies have been named finalists for their work with nonprofits.

Fifteen advisers and six companies have been named as finalists for the 12th annual Invest in Others Awards.

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation honors financial advisers and firms that have demonstrated commitment to their communities through their passion, commitment and leadership. The advisers and firms work with nonprofits that are focused on various causes, including youth development, poverty prevention and medical research.

The 15 advisers are being honored across five adviser categories. Six companies are honored across two corporate philanthropy award categories.

The adviser finalists collectively have raised more than $11 million annually and volunteered 350 hours each month for their charities.

The six corporate finalists have affected their local communities through financial support, volunteer hours and corporate programs that offer matching gifts and time off to volunteer.

Finalists will be honored for their philanthropy at a gala in Boston on Sept. 27.

This year’s finalists by category are:

For the Catalyst Award: Carrie Coghill at Coghill Investment Strategies in Pittsburgh for her work at the Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, which is the largest institute in the U.S. devoted to women’s health research; Cullen Douglass at Northwestern Mutual in Nashville, Tenn., for his work with Family and Children’s Services, which works in child abuse prevention and foster care; and Paul Wetmore at Merrill Lynch in Los Angeles for his work at Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center, a youth center that offers after-school programs.

For the Community Service Award: Brenda Blisk at Blisk Financial Group in McLean, Va., for her work at the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region; Bryan Drowos at Wells Fargo Advisors in Boca Raton, Fla., for work at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County; and Timothy Rice at Lakeside Wealth Management in Chesterton, Ind., for his work at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana.

For the Global Impact Award: Jim Quigley at Barrington Wealth Management in Chicago for his work at Hope’s In, an international service group that works in garbage-dump communities in Guatemala; David Shnitzer at Ameriprise Financial in Boston for his work at CameroonONE & ONETrack International, a global child advocacy program for orphan care; and Bob Solis at Morgan Stanley in Peoria, Ariz., for founding Open Arms Home for Children, which provides support to children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic in South Africa.

For the Volunteer of the Year Award: Pat Henry at Hanson McClain Advisors in Sacramento, Calif., for his work at Okizu, which works with families affected by childhood cancer; Sacha Millstone at The Millstone Evans Group of Raymond James in Boulder, Colo., for her work with Funding the Future, which teaches financial literacy to American students; and Stephen Rudolph at HW Financial Advisors in Beachwood, Ohio, for his work with Milestones Autism Resources, which provides autism-related services.

For the Lifetime Achievement Award: William Lervaag from Masterplan Financial Group in Peoria, Ill., for his work at Heart of Illinois Harvest, a food distribution program; Stephen Plain at SEP Financial Services in Goshen, N.Y., for his work with the Town of Wallkill Boys & Girls Clubs; and Pat Sullivan with Private Advisor Group in Morristown, N.J., for his work with Good Grief.

For Corporate Philanthropy, Advisory Firms: Cassaday & Co. Inc. in McLean, Va; Centinel Financial Group in Needham Heights, Mass.; and SkyOak Wealth in Medford, Ore.

For Corporate Philanthropy, Financial Institutions: Berkshire Bank in Boston; Main Street Financial Services in Luverne, Minn.; and Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Fla.