Around the Firm
Awards, Promotions and Other Notable News
Innovest was named a 2020 Best Place to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments for the sixth time in seven years (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Innovest’s stewardship culture, team-based collegial approach, monthly volunteer opportunities for employees, our partnership with Arrupe Jesuit High School, and our family-friendly work environment helped us clinch the win in 2020.
An enduring, firm-wide commitment to philanthropy is woven into the fabric of Innovest’s culture. We are honored to be ranked among the top 25 of Denver Business Journal’s Denver-Area Corporate Philanthropists. The list is measured by contributions to Colorado-based charitable organizations.
Congratulations to the recipients of Innovest’s annual employee awards! Marleen Zakovich was recognized for her Service to Others. Kyli Hanson received the William Fender Mentorship Award. Nancy Swanson was honored with the 212º Award, and Sloan Smith received the Founder’s Award. We are very proud of these employees for their hard work and dedication to clients and colleagues.
Congratulations are also in order for Cos Braswell, Zach Heath, Brett Minnick, and Brooks Urich for their promotions from Analyst to Senior Analyst. Way to go!
President Wendy Dominguez has accepted an appointment to the Colorado Public School Fund Investment Board, which benefits public schools. She was appointed to the board of this billion-dollar fund by the Colorado State Treasurer.
Christine Hudek was the recipient of the November 2020 Service to Others Award, and Brett Minnick won the October 2020 Service to Others Award.
Peter Mustian, Principal and COO, was named an honoree for the Denver Business Journal’s 2020 C-Suite awards. The program honors CEOs, CFOs, and COOs who recognize opportunities, identify, and manage risk, achieve profitable growth, and are vital leaders. Congratulations Peter!
Conferences
Innovest’s Rick Rodgers, AIFA®, Scott Middleton, CFA, CIMA, and Steven Fraley, CFA, MBA, were featured speakers at this year’s Rocky Mountain Benefit Plans Conference, co-hosted by Innovest and Plante Moran.
Innovest will co-host the 21st Annual Rocky Mountain Nonprofit Conference with Kundinger, Corder & Engle, P.C. The conference will be held March 2-4, 2021, with two sessions daily at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. This virtual event will cover the state of the economy, accounting, and tax updates, and how COVID-19 has impacted nonprofits.
The virtual Arizona Defined Contribution Conference (AZ/DC) was a great success. Hosted by Vice President Paul Nacario and City of Mesa CFO, Mike Kennington, the one-hour conference featured three speakers, including Innovest partner Gordon Tewell. Gordon also spoke about retirement plan fees at the virtual AICPA Employee Benefits Conference in November.
CEO Richard Todd spoke with business students at the University of Northern Colorado on “The Innovest Experience with Inspiration from Bill Daniels.” The presentation was part of the virtual 2020 Monfort College of Business Ethics Week.
In October, Innovest partnered with Eide Bailly and Snell & Wilmer for the 2020 Southwest Nonprofit Conference. Scott Middleton and Steven Fraley both spoke about the economy, markets, and implications for nonprofits.
Also in October, Karen Winkelman, CEO of the Innovest Family Office, hosted a webinar to discuss best practices, checklists, and important year-end considerations for a family office.
Volunteer Opportunities
As a way to give back to the community during the holidays, Innovest employees donated funds to support seven families of 14 parents and 36 children. Our annual participation for more than a decade in the Adopt-A-Family project has helped the Colorado community through matching compassionate donors with low-income families and individuals.
In December, Innovest employees also volunteered at the Denver Santa Claus Shop. Marianne Marvez, Vice President, sits on the board of this outstanding organization.
Innovest employees contributed 100 cards for Love for Our Elders. The project collects and mails handwritten cards to senior citizens to help fight loneliness and physical isolation.
As a part of #ColoradoGivesDay, Innovest employees made over 80 individual donations to the nonprofits of their choice. We are proud to be a part of this record-breaking year for Colorado Gives Day, which raised over $50 million for nonprofits in Colorado.
Innovest in the News
PLANADVISER recently revisited Innovest’s recognition as the 2014 Retirement Plan Team of Year. The article, "15th Anniversary of RPAY: Innovest Portfolio Solutions," highlights Innovest's growth and provides insights from Principal Gordon Tewell about retirement plan industry changes and Innovest’s diligence during the pandemic. Read it here: https://www.planadviser.com/15th-anniversary-rpay-innovest-portfolio-solutions/
Kristin Lee and Joshua Shapiro co-wrote the article “Using Operational Controls to Mitigate Fiduciary Risk,” which was published by BenefitsPRO.