Luncheon Remarks on "Responsibility": Our Year, Our Philanthropy, Our Jobs, Our Anniversary

Here are excerpts from my opening remarks at the FCS Financial Marketer of the Year Gala Luncheon (Thursday, January 26th):
"Today is the biggest luncheon of the year and you already saw the slide show from this year’s Race for Kids,

but we’re busy throughout the year. Just look at everything we did in 2011. We skiied, we played golf, we bowled twice! We gave out books, we gave out awards. We focused on Education, whether through Job Shadow Day or our research presentations and panel discussion held over breakfast or cocktails.

And of course month after month, we welcome leading brands to the Yacht Club for our luncheons. Here are the brands take took to this podium in 2011.

It’s quite a list.

I like to show this wide range of events and activities to remind you all that there are many ways to get involved with the FCS and to make the most of your membership. One way to get involved is to simply get in touch with any of our Board Directors.
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Most of you first come to know the FCS through our annual Portfolio Awards. You know, that big black tie party in May when we get all dressed up, have a couple of drinks with friends, dance like lunatics… and we actually give out awards too.
Of course, Portfolio is where we present the big check to our three charities. Not including this year’s Race for Kids, we’ve raised more than $1.5 million dollars for Hope & Heroes, Make A Wish, and Downey Side.
It’s wonderful to be able to help these organizations. Earlier this month, up at Stowe, we met three of the families who have been supported our charities, including a 12 year old cancer survivor. Just this week, this boy’s oncologist sent the FCS a very nice email. One line from the email reads: 'Please know that your gift will help children afflicted with cancer and will also help our physicians and scientists find the cure.'
This is why we get involved, right?
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The FCS now has more than 770 members in our Linked In Group. This is a great online forum for making connections, discussing industry happenings, and sharing information, especially about jobs.
Now I’d like to make a comment about jobs.
We’re going to hear a lot today from Paul Alexander about Responsibility because of Liberty Mutual’s very successful Responsibility Project. Well, thinking about responsibility, I believe that it is the responsibility of the FCS, in focusing on our mission of Community, to help ensure that our members stay employed and make progressive strides in their careers. The Job Bank on our web site and job information on Linked In are just the beginning. To encourage this responsibility, we want to reward those who undertake it. I’d like to reiterate our policy on our Members in Transition. First of all, MITs get to attend all of our events at discounted prices. We’re not looking to make money off of them. We here to help. Furthermore, whenever an FCS member helps another member get a job within the industry, both are entitled to free membership and a free lunch. Yes, there can be a free lunch. The job market will be tight again this year, and nothing could make our organization prouder than to be able to say that we helped our community stay vibrant, well-informed, well-connected, and employed.
This is what the FCS does, and we’ve been doing it since 1967.
Which means of course, that 2012 is our 45th Anniversary year. To celebrate, we’ll do something special at each event this year. Plus we’re launching two special activities.
I’m delighted to announce the creation of the FCS Archives. This year we will be begin recording interviews with long-standing members to create an oral history. We’ll establish an online photo collection and we’ll look to build a library of material from past financial brands. If you’d like to help out and get involved, just give me a call.
We’ll also celebrate our anniversary with a gala event in the fall that will be a Casino Night and Charity Fundraiser. Look for details on that event in the very near future.
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Thank you all for coming out to today's event, and thank you for getting involved.
This is your FCS, this is your organization, this is your year.