Osaic Foundation
Newsletter
Three questions with Foundation President Stacy O'Keeffe
Stacy O’Keeffe is Osaic’s SVP, Advisor Engagement, Community and Experience. She was elected this past January as president of the Osaic Foundation. In this Q&A Stacy describes how advisor engagement and community outreach go hand-in-hand. She has been with the company 22 years in advisor-facing roles. She is pictured at far left with other Osaic volunteers at a VEI career panel in NYC with Rita Robbins, Founder & President – Affiliated Advisors (center) and Jaime Desmond, Chief Operating Officer of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management.
I’ve been so impressed by the volunteer commitment of our advisors, their staffs and employees – whether working alone or as a group. And there are many that also set up group events at their office or enterprise meetings; we are excited to partner with them on those. We know we have a special gathering of talent and expertise at Osaic, and its heartwarming to see our team deeply involved in giving back to their communities as volunteers. They are also involved with such a wide variety of health and human services charities, education endeavors, civic associations and arts & culture nonprofits.
During the Journey to One project, we learned that many advisors greatly appreciate networking with their peers -- yet were unaware of others in their communities from Osaic. Local community outreach projects offer a perfect forum for our advisors to come together with their staffs and nearby home office employees to build relationships while helping others. It’s a key cultural lever for us to connect and meet with each other while supporting local causes. The Foundation has set aside grant funding for charities assisted by these types of group events.
In our conferences, councils and community Meet Ups this year, my team and others from the home office have been spreading the word about the potential and opportunity for advisors to participate in a Foundation-sponsored volunteer activity. There have been several successful events already conducted this year, such as local Honor Flight events, the VE career panels and two Face of America cycling challenges. We’ve had advisor-led initiatives in Florida for disaster relief and also in Milwaukee for food bank replenishment (see stories below). This summer we’ll also host our second charity softball game and meetup August 21 at Battery Park Fields, NYC, and we’ll again sponsor local teams around the country this fall for the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walks conducted by the American Cancer Society. We’re open to hearing more ideas for similar gatherings (details on both events elsewhere in this newsletter).
Over $489,500 in grants awarded to 281 charities
The Foundation spread out this year's $489,500 in grants to charities in 231 communities in 37 states, more than $67,000 in additional funding than 2024. The grants were distributed in May to multiple health and human service organizations, education initiatives, arts & cultural activities, and civic service groups in the local communities in which our Financial Professionals, their staff, and home office employees volunteer their time and expertise.
Selection process
All charities receiving grants were nominated by Financial Professionals, their staff or home office employees who practice hands-on volunteerism. Applications were reviewed by regional volunteer Selection Committees comprised of Financial Professionals, their staff and home office employees, and ultimately approved by the Osaic Foundation Board of Directors. While reviewing and scoring applications, committee members took into consideration the nominator’s level of hands-on volunteer involvement and other factors.
View our 2025 Grant Recipients
Questions?
If you have questions about the Local Grant Program or the Osaic Foundation, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at OsaicFoundation@osaic.com.
Volunteer opportunities to elevate your impact
Regional volunteers are needed on each of the following program or event committees to share ideas on logistics and execution. This is a wonderful opportunity to network, build relationships, and ensure an outstanding outcome for our participants and designated charities! We will also be partnering with Osaic Advisor Engagement this year for volunteerism tied to regional meet-ups.
To learn more or offer your help on any of the areas below, drop a quick email indicating your interest to: osaicfoundation@osaic.com.
Help students with school supplies
Join a Team Osaic campaign to gather school supplies this summer as we partner with Back 2 School America. For every $30 raised, we can provide one more kit to one more child. Each kit contains 30 vital school supplies, such as folders, notebooks, pens, paper, rulers, and pencils. Or, conduct your own drop-off collection at your office for a school of your choice, and let us know the results at osaicfoundation@osaic.com. The campaign continues through August 15.
Assist Veterans with regional Honor Flights to service memorials in Washington, D.C
Team Osaic is an active participant at Honor Flights in 7 cities this year, assisting the nonprofit in providing free trips to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials for their branch of service. Volunteers have three ways to help: writing cards of well wishes and gratitude that are given to the veterans on their flights, going on the flight as an assigned escort, (like Tyler Watts of Northern Indiana, Director, Client-Cust Sup & Ops, pictured), and/or participating in a joyous airport welcome ceremony when the group returns home.
Cities with Osaic local leads are: Albany (NY), Appleton (WI), Cleveland (OH), Fort Wayne (IN), Holbrook (NY), Pittsburgh (PA) and St. Petersburg (FL).
Play softball among the skyscrapers
Join Team Osaic at New York City's Battery Park Fields, Thurs., Aug. 21, for a friendly benefit softball game & networking reception with your peers. No participation fee -- just bring your own glove. The Foundation will make grants on behalf of Osaic participants to two local charities, Tunnels 2 Towers and Home for Heroes. Both serve veterans and first responders and their families. Don’t want to play? Come anyway and cheer on your colleagues: Spectators welcome! Arrive by 4:30 p.m. Game is 5-7 pm followed by the reception. Contact us to learn more.
Join local & regional teams for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks
Join an Osaic local team this Fall for the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” campaign. With the help of local Team Osaic leaders, we gathered hundreds of financial professionals, their staff, home office employees and family members to ultimately raise $75,000 for American Cancer Society programs. Local walk teams are now forming and dates will be communicated shortly where we have teams. Last year we had participants at 18 city walks and hope to double that this year.
The Florida Panhandle was hit hard by Hurricane Helene last Fall. Stepping up to organize a volunteer relief effort March 1 was Osaic Financial Professional Claudia Sachs from Tallahassee, Fla. (4th from left).She used a $10,000 Disaster Relief Grant from the Osaic Foundation to rally professional women of her Zonta International Chapter to partner with Madison County authorities and volunteer youth from another nonprofit, Boyz to Kings, to clean up debris around 7 homes in the hard-hit community of Perry, Fl. Additional grants are available year-round specifically for advisor and employee-led disaster recovery efforts.
A seven-person team of Osaic financial professionals and home office employees helped judge student competitions April 7-8 at the Virtual Enterprises’ Youth Business Summit in NYC. The event included the Osaic Financial Literacy Challenge for hundreds of high school students from across the US and several foreign countries. Claire Besant of Business Development is pictured here (at left) with VE President & CEO Tom Smith & VE Board Member Maureen Gillen-Myer. VEI received a $40,000 major grant this year from the Foundation; students are also being invited to career panels at Osaic events such as W Forum and ConnectED.
Super Hero Capes
More than 60 attendees at NXT in Las Vegas May 21 took time to volunteer at a community service booth to benefit pediatric patients staying at Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in the city. The group created 250 uniquely designed “Super Hero Capes” the children can wear to lift their spirits.
The capes were funded with a $7,500 grant from the Osaic Foundation, and a portion of the grant was also allocated to gift cards and items for the parents and siblings to utilize while their family is staying at RMH. After NXT the capes were picked up by local Osaic volunteers from Premier Trust, and delivered in-person to RMH, along with a $2,500 grant from the Local Community Grant budget, awarded to recognize the ongoing volunteer support given RMH by Beth Marchiano of Premier Trust. Keith Fleischer, President & CEO, Premier Trust, helped deliver the capes made at NXT (and an additional $2,000 Local Community Grant) to Ronald McDonald House. Two RMH executives are on either end; other Premier Trust employees shown are (from left): Meredith Moore-Johnson, Business Development Officer; Ashley Holley, Executive Assistant; Angie Picazo, Trust Administrator; Keith; and Assieh Kazemi, Trust Administrator.
Five Osaic volunteers, led by Jessica Westerberg of the Oakdale Home Office (center), offered their time March 10 at Junior Achievement in St. Paul, Minn., during the organization’s annual signature event, JA Business Town.This is an experiential learning program that combines classroom learning with an active simulation experience that encourages innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Students become citizens of JA BizTown, where they learn what it takes to run a successful business, manage a debit card and checking account, and work as a team. The Osaic volunteers were paired with students to help them make important business and personal finance decisions in their assigned JA BizTown shop. The Osaic volunteers’ time was recognized with a $1,000 grant to JA.
Osaic Home Office Employee Danielle McClenahan (far left) stands with Cindy Laube, Cory Nickel and Zach Strube of Balthazor & Strube Financial and Insurance Services, Appleton, Wis The Osaic team joined others April 16 at the Appleton International Airport to welcome home veterans participating in the Honor Flight program. The nonprofit flies veterans at no cost to view their service memorials in Washington, D.C. Upon return they are surprised with thank you letters and a celebratory welcome ceremony. This year the Osaic Foundation is supporting chapters in 7 cities with grants of $5,000 each on behalf of the volunteer support provided by Osaic financial professionals, staff and home office employees.
To celebrate its recent office consolidation at a new building in Henderson, NV, employees at Premier Trust hosted a community service event onsite to benefit two Las Vegas charities, Junior Achievement (JA) and HopeLink. The business worked with United Way to design assemble 100 custom “financial literacy kits” that included a nice padfolio, tablet, pen, and the “finance 101” best seller, How To Money, a softcover book by Jean Chatzky and Kathryn Tuggle. A speaker from JA also addressed the group to describe its mission. On behalf of the volunteer effort, the Osaic Foundation awarded a $2,500 grant to United Way of Southern Nevada. JA will use 60 kits for raffle prizes during their Finance Park simulation high school summer camp. HopeLink will use 40 kits for their CareerLink clients who are actively interviewing and working on job readiness courses.
Two Osaic financial professionals and four home office employees teamed up with hundreds of others May 16 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., for the annual “Pack at the Park” event, hosted by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). During their shifts Team Osaic packed 2,514 meals for children in Haiti and the Dominican Republic -- enough to feed 7 children for a year. The Osaic Foundation recognized the effort with a $1,000 grant to FMSC. Home Office Employee Nicole Krahn is pictured here.
With a $50,000 grant, the Osaic Foundation was again the lead sponsor of the Face of America cycling challenge, a two-day, 100-mile event in May from Arlington, Va., to Gettysburg, Md. The inclusive ride honors our military — veterans and active duty, both disabled and able-bodied — and celebrates the American Spirit. Osaic Financial Professionals and home office employees joined over 300 riders to raise more than $750K for veterans and first responders. Financial Professional David Felpel of Pennsylvania was one of the Team Osaic riders coming from four states to participate.
La Vista employee volunteers joined a nationwide effort by the Virtual EAC Craft Club to create veteran thank you cards for use with Honor Flight programs in different cities. The letters feature hand-made messages of gratitude that veterans are given during their flights to read during their trip. Learn more about Honor Flight
David Peterson, Chief Compliance Officer at WealthPLAN Partners of Kearney Neb., was recently honored as “Influencer of the Year” by the American Red Cross of Omaha, Council Bluffs and SW Iowa chapter. He was recognized for his volunteer work using social media to connect disaster survivors with aid. He also helped the Osaic Foundation establish its own Disaster Response Committee last year and provides vital ARC updates to help form its response. David serves as co-lead with Carolyn McKinley, a Sr. HR Business Partner based in La Vista. He is pictured here during a CPR training program. David has been in financial services since 1994, and became insurance and FINRA licensed in 1998. After over two decades in trading and operations management, he transitioned into his current role as an OS.J five years ago. He now serves on the Board of Directors for his ARC chapter and co-chair of its Mission Committee.
High Point Capital Group of Milwaukee engaged teams from its offices June 29 for a group volunteer activity at Hunger Farm in Franklin, Wis., a 208-acre, full-service farm that annually grows more than 500,000 pounds of fresh, healthy produce for Milwaukee’s hungry. The 39-member team weeded 1.7 acres of green beans. They were joined by two volunteers from a sister Osaic firm, Savaglia Financial Advisors of Oak Creek, WI. In recognition of their time the Osaic Foundation donated $2,000 to the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee.