9th Annual Invest in Others Community Leadership Awards Honor Philanthropic Achievements of Financial Advisors and Firms

NEWTON, Mass., Oct. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation hosted its ninth annual Community Leadership Awards Gala on September 30, 2015, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Over 400 financial advisors and financial services executives attended the event to recognize the philanthropic achievements of financial advisors and firms in communities across the country and around the world.

"Invest in Others promotes a positive platform that recognizes, celebrates, shares, and perpetuates the good that advisors and firms are doing in their communities," said Bill Dwyer, Chairman of the Board of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. "These individuals and firms work everyday to make our cities, our nation, and our world a better place."

Awards were presented to financial advisors in the following categories: Catalyst, Community Service, Global Community Impact, Volunteer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement. Invest in Others will donate $20,000 to each winner's designated charity, with the exception of the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, whose charity will receive a $25,000 donation. By award category, the winners are:

• Catalyst Award: Richard Armiger, vice president of wealth management at Morgan Stanley in Baltimore, MD, for the Ironheart Foundation.
• Community Service Award: Rob Shick, branch manager and senior vice president at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Portland, OR, for the Oregon Health and Science University Foundation.
• Global Community Impact Award: Bill Pickens, senior vice president and investment officer at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC in Germantown, TN, for Gift of Life Mid-South.
• Volunteer of the Year Award: Jeffrey Keefe, senior vice president and founding principal at Whole Wealth Management, LLC in Portsmouth, NH, for Puddle Dock Pond at Strawbery Banke Museum.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Theodore A. Schwab, founding partner, managing director, and wealth manager at Steward Partners Global Advisory in Washington, DC, for Capital Partners for Education.

The inaugural Corporate Philanthropy Award was presented to Voya Financial. Working in Support of Education (w!se), a New York City-based national educational non-profit, will receive a $2,500 donation from Invest in Others in Voya's honor.

"Collectively, the charitable work of the finalists and winners have benefited communities and made life better for people around the world. These efforts stand as examples for all of us," said Suzanne Siracuse, Vice Chairman of the Board.

Hundreds of nominations for the Community Leadership Awards are received each year and reviewed by a diverse panel of leaders in the financial services industry. The organizations benefiting from the involvement of dedicated financial advisors and firms represent a broad range of important humanitarian causes, including education, economic development, financial literacy, healthcare, human services, hunger prevention, and veterans support.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation
The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded by the financial services industry to amplify the charitable work of financial advisors and the institutions they work for. To realize its goals, Invest in Others recognizes philanthropy, inspires volunteerism, and educates the investing public about the positive impact made by advisors and their firms in their communities. Today, Invest in Others is the premier non-profit that objectively recognizes philanthropic achievement and facilitates charitable involvement through meaningful programs and events. For more information, visit www.investinothers.org.

Media Contacts:
Jessica Dunham, Director of Communications
[email protected] | 781.304.4812

SOURCE Invest in Others Charitable Foundation