PLANADVISER - July/August 2020 - 40

advisers giving back
Close to Their Hearts
S
everal times each month, on PLANADVISER.com, our
editors present a profile of an adviser or advisory firm
with a passion for doing philanthropic work. Some
say the culture these advisers are building speaks to why
people join this business-to help others improve their lives.
We hope these stories will inspire those who are unsure
what role corporate responsibility might play in their practice.
Below are excerpts from recent features-read the full
version at PLANADVISER.com/AGB.
ARE YOU AN ADVISER WHO GIVES BACK to the local,
regional or global community? If so, we'd like to hear about it for
our 2020 Advisers Giving Back program. If you have or know of
such a story, please email editors@issmediasolutions.com.
Speed Skating Official
Bruce Lanser is a financial adviser and institutional
retirement plan consultant with UBS in Milwaukee. He
gives his time as a " starter " official for speed skating
events-including competitions featuring world-class
athletes and Olympians. " Our daughter is why we got
into this, " Lanser says. " She became a world-class
skater. Milwaukee is a unique place in that speed
skating is a part of the culture, going back to the early
1900s. The club we were part of while she was skating
has had someone on the Olympic team every year. "
Lanser says skating-like any sport-teaches young
people about what it means to succeed, and to fail.
Girls' Financial Literacy
Kelli Davis is a vice president of
retirement plan consulting at CSi
Advisory Services in Indianapolis.
Her team began working with an
entity that generates food bank
contributions, then expanded,
focusing on financial literacy and
education. " We felt we needed
to do something where we could
have an impact on a younger
age group, " Davis says. " That's
how we came across an organization
called Invest in Girls. We
go into high schools and teach
financial literacy. In fact, when we
reached out, they said they were
already interested in launching
a pilot program in Indiana and
asked if we would take that on. We
decided to step up. "
Health Effort Organizer
The plight of rural community
health care systems is a personal
matter for the people of Albert
Lea, Minnesota, home of Brad
Arends, co-founder and CEO
of intellicents. The town named
him its 2020 Citizen of the Year
for a several-year attempt to
bring affordable and local health
care back to Albert Lea. " We
waved the Mayo [Clinic] flag
here until three years ago, when
they announced dramatically
reduced services in our local
hospital. I was recruited basically
to unite and organize several
citizen action groups' efforts
to save our health care. I felt it
was my duty to give back to the
community by chairing this effort. "
Repaying Her School
Formerly a client service associate
with Signature Family Wealth
Advisors, now part of Brown
Advisory, Soraya Morris volunteers
as a mentor at her alma mater,
Virginia Commonwealth University
in Richmond, Virginia. " It has a
program whereby volunteers can
be specific about the student they
want to be matched up with, "
says Morris, now a lead trainer
at Envestnet MoneyGuide. " For
me, that was a student of color-
because we have a unique set
of experiences and challenges
in the industry. " Morris wanted
these students to know they are
not alone-and she could be a
source when it comes to jobs and
fitting into the adviser culture. -PA
40 | planadviser.com July-August 2020 Art by (from left) Niv Bavarsky; Celia Jacobs; Adriana Bellet; Sonia Pulido

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PLANADVISER - July/August 2020

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