Osaic Foundation
Newsletter
- Saluting Our Veterans: Three questions with Honor Flight Volunteer Tyler Watts
- Join one of our 31 city teams for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
- Upcoming Volunteer Calendar of Events
- Foundation Overview Video Premiere at ConnectED
- Volunteers in Action: A Recap
- Previous issues: Osaic Foundation Newsletter archive
Three questions with Honor Flight Volunteer Tyler Watts
Tyler Watts joined Osaic through the Lincoln acquisition last year and is currently Director, Advisor Experience ~ Center of Excellence. He serves as a volunteer in Fort Wayne with Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, one of seven local chapters the Foundation supports. Honor Flight is a non-profit program that flies veterans, primarily from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice, at no cost to the veteran. Tyler is pictured at left with Levi, 82, a US Army veteran of Korea and Vietnam.
A few months after the Osaic/Lincoln acquisition, I saw a newsletter where Osaic was donating to Honor Flight and asked for staff in the Fort Wayne area to attend the Welcome Home ceremony. I decided to attend, without really expecting much, however I was overwhelmed by the experience. I attended a second Welcome Home ceremony and ended up contacting a Honor Flight member and getting more involved. I just recently completed my first flight as a volunteer/guardian and it has been an amazing experience, that I cannot recommend enough.
Please reach out to one of our local Honor Flight regional leaders! They can assist you with each chapter’s unique needs. However, letters for veterans (thank you letters, letters from kids with hand drawn pictures etc) are always needed. Attend a Welcome Home ceremony at the airport, I promise it will change your perspective. If there is not an Osaic-supported chapter in your area, check the national Honor Flight website for a hub near you, and then contact the Osaic Foundation.
Most veterans are humble and meek by nature. Throughout the flight day the various surprises, visits, thank you’ s etc. are accepted, but sometimes begrudgingly. However, the mail call event is a surprise the vets appreciate. Many of the letters are personal, from family members, friends, schools, and community volunteers, and the impact is lasting. While each veteran experiences mail call differently, you can see the emotion and healing on many faces. It’s one of the final pieces of day, bringing the veteran back to their service time.
It’s back! Join local & regional teams for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks
Join an Osaic local team again this Fall for the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” campaign. There are 31 city teams formed at this point plus a virtual option. The Osaic Foundation has committed $12,000 to date to support our walkers! Visit our campaign website here: Team Osaic Making Strides
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.
Foundation Chairman & President Stacy O’Keeffe (photo, far right) gave a Foundation Overview and led a panel at ConnectED Sept. 14 with Bella Krug Wagner from High Point Capital Group of Milwaukee, WI, and David Peterson from Wealth Plan Group of Omaha, NE.
Bella’s firm recently conducted a 40-person service project at a farm that grows food for regional food banks. David volunteers on the board of his local American Red Cross and serves on the Foundation’s Disaster Response Committee. Both shared best practices for getting firm offices more engaged in group volunteer projects
The Osaic Foundation hosted 35 students at ConnectED 2025 from San Antonio's Northside Independent School District (NSITE) who are enrolled in Virtual Enterprises (VE). The students attended a General Session and were led in small group financial exercises by 10 financial professionals from Osaic Advisory Boards & Councils and four home office executives, coordinated by Claire Besant of Osaic Business Development. Claire co-leads the Foundation’s VE sub-committee with Stacy O’Keeffe
A career panel and Phil Blancato’s Q&A with the group (photo above) was cited as most valuable by the students in a follow-on survey. VE conducts business education programs at schools across the country and needs volunteers from the community as judges and speakers. VE is a major grant program for the Foundation and a growing volunteer opportunity. VE is a major grant program for the Foundation and a growing volunteer opportunity.
With the help of our financial professionals, their staff and home office employees, the Osaic Foundation was able to collect more than $12,000 to help students in need with supplies for the coming school year. This included collections in offices for local schools and donations made online through our partner Back2School America. Thank you to all who contributed!
Three charities benefited this summer from selections made by survey respondents to a summer NPS survey conducted by Osaic.Each survey response generated a $5 donation to one of three charities.
Ultimately this generated grants from the Osaic Foundation of $3,045 to Feeding America, $2,225 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, and $1,835 to Back 2 School America.Thank you to all our participating financial professionals!
A group of 29 financial professionals, staff and home office employees and executives volunteered July 22 at Atlanta’s MUST Ministries nonprofit to assemble 1,176 summer lunch packs for schoolchildren.
The volunteer effort was supported with a $3,000 grant from the Osaic Foundation. MUST Ministries partners with regional churches, schools, corporations, and volunteers to feed thousands of kids in the Metro Atlanta area.
August 21 was a grand slam for the Osaic Foundation’s 9th Annual Benefit Softball Game held in New York City's Battery Park Fields.
With more than 80 volunteers, this was the largest volunteer effort so far in 2025. The teams were comprised of financial professionals, staff, strategic partners and home office employees.They devoted two hours to raise funds via Osaic Foundation grants for two 9/11 charities, Tunnel to Towers ($5,000) and Building Homes for Heroes ($6,000).
For the third consecutive year, a group of 12 Osaic volunteers joined together for two hours September 11 in Tempe, Arizona, to support the 9/11 National Day of Service, a group that conducts meal packing events for the needy in 24 major cities across the country.
The time dedicated by the Osaic volunteers generated a $4,500 grant to the 911.org nonprofit to purchase food supplies for the volunteers to assemble.
Dustin Sullivan and Paul Klimkowski, staff with Startzell Group, Legacy Financial Services Group in Yardley, PA, were both supported with $250 grants from the Osaic Foundation as they cycled July 20 in the annual Ben 2 The Shore Bike Tour.
The duo pedaled from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore to raise money for the Families Behind the Badge Children's Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial relief to the families of fallen or critically injured first responders.