Twelve advisers have been named finalists for the 2021 Invest in Others Awards in recognition of their charitable and philanthropic commitments to their local communities and international organizations.
These advisers “are being honored for the distinct ways they give back to charities in their communities,” said Megan McAuley, executive director and president of Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. “This year’s finalists have been involved with their designated charities for an average of 14 years.”
These finalists donated time and money to causes important to them and helped millions of people through their designated charities. They work with organizations representing a range of charitable efforts, such as helping to advance education and youth programs, health and wellness, and hunger and poverty prevention. Together the finalists volunteer nearly 500 hours per month and serve 150,000 people annually, McAuley said.
The advisers, who will be celebrated at an awards dinner in Boston on Sept. 22, are being recognized across four award categories. Winners in the catalyst, community service, and volunteer of the year categories will each receive $50,000 for their charities, and the lifetime achievement award winner will receive $75,000 for his or her charity. All the finalists will be given $20,000 each for their nonprofits, the foundation said.
Finalists in the Catalyst category are Amy Doherty at Centinel Financial Group in Osterville, Massachusetts, for her work with WellStrong Inc., which brings fitness and wellness activities to people recovering from substance use; Bob Swift at TCI Wealth Advisors in Tucson, Arizona, for his work with 3rd Decade, which empowers individuals through education and helps participants make simple changes in their financial behavior to create long-term financial goals; and Ralph Ujano Jr. at The Ujano Advisory Group in McKinney, Texas, for his work with Helping Hands For Single Moms Dallas, which aims to end generational poverty and assists underserved single mom families.
Finalists in the Community Service category are Roger S. Green at Green Financial Resources in Duluth, Georgia, for his work with Auditory-Verbal Center Inc., which provides auditory-verbal and audiological services to children; Ruben Rozental at PGI Wealth Management in Coral Gables, Florida, for his work with Commit and Act (US), which provides medical attention, therapy, shelter and education for women in Sierra Leone to help them reach their goals; and Elizabeth M. Shabaker at Versant Capital Management in Phoenix, for her work with Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona, which helps children who have experienced neglect, poverty and homelessness.
Volunteer of the Year finalists are Kenneth "Larry" Agee at Agee Financial Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for his work with Disaster Aid USA, which provides immediate disaster relief and humanitarian aid and assistance when natural or man-made disasters strike; Kevin S. Bode at Northwestern Mutual in Pittsburgh, for his work with Knead Community Café, which targets food insecurity and promotes a healthy lifestyle in New Kensington and surrounding communities by offering a pay-what-you-can system; and Isaac Simon at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in New York, for his work with Coalition for the Homeless, which helps homeless men, women and children access affordable housing, sufficient food and the chance to work for living wages.
The finalists in the Lifetime Achievement category are Peter Chieco at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in Greenwich, Connecticut, for his work with Cooley's Anemia Foundation, which serves people afflicted with various forms of thalassemia, including Cooley’s Anemia/Thalassemia Major, and educates the public about this genetic blood disease; Ferdinand Garcia at Woodbury Financial in San Francisco, for his work with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which promotes health, wellness and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV and provides a range of free health and wellness services; and Dan Jenkins at JKS Financial in Pittsburgh, for his work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, which creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships to help young people reach their full potential.
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