Firms giving back: Bennett Thrasher hikes for mental health

BENNETT THRASHER

Top 100 Firm Bennett Thrasher, based in Atlanta, participated in a two-week hike in the North Georgia Mountains to promote mental health awareness in memory of a late co-worker.

Dubbed "BT at the AT," the hike was built around the concept of mental wellness and ending the stigma related to mental health care. Staff members participated in seven different hikes between June 2 and 13, with participants invited to "disconnect from technology, work email and social media to reconnect with the serenity and mindfulness that can be found" in the mountains.

“Our employees’ mental health and overall wellness is extremely important to us, which is why two of our core principles are 'Health & Wellness’ and ‘Fun,’” stated Will Eckerson, chief operating officer of Bennett Thrasher. “Of our mental health awareness initiatives and programs, the Appalachian Trail hikes are a favorite at the firm. Our partners, associates and staff have the opportunity to take a break from their day-to-day stresses and immerse themselves in some of nature’s most beautiful scenery. In today’s culture of 24/7 connectivity, we hope our series of hikes will inspire other organizations to take the initiative to support their own employees’ mental wellness through unique and out-of-the-box activities.”

FRIEDMAN LLP

Top 100 Firm Friedman LLP awarded a scholarship to Fashion Institute of Technology student Marisol Rivera as part of its undergraduate entrepreneurial program.

Friedman annually awards the Entrepreneurship Scholarship to an FIT student enrolled in the two-year Entrepreneurship Program. The program helps educate fashion students to be "both creative and innovative by applying design-inspired thinking to create business opportunities," according to the firm.

Harriet Greenberg, co-managing partner and leader of the fashion and diamond and jewelry practices at Friedman, joined Marisol along with FiT dean Steven Frumkin, with William Reinisch, chair of FIT’s Entrepreneurship program, and Michael Sacco, a partner in Friedman’s Fashion practice, to present the scholarship award.

“Marisol embodies hard work, passion and vision — all qualities that will serve her incredibly well in this fast-paced, competitive and dynamic industry,” stated Harriet. “We are thrilled to continue to offer this scholarship as an acknowledgement of academic excellence and means to help drive innovation for ambitious, aspiring entrepreneurs like Marisol. An opportunity is created from what we chose to make of any given situation. FIT provides its students with the best tools possible to pave a way for an illustrious career that’s founded in diligence and integrity. It’s our pleasure to offer this annual scholarship to FIT students.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to be this year’s Entrepreneurship Scholarship recipient. I have always been a self-starter and motivated person," said Marisol in a statement. "This will certainly help me to serve my niche consumer base, supporting international clients from countries including Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Qatar. Similar to Friedman’s approach to client service, I make it a point to build lasting relationships that are founded in trust through personalized support."

HLB

HLB International, London, celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 7, 2019, by supporting local and international community projects for #HLBCommunities Day.

As the network’s first global corporate social responsibility initiative, the event led to HLB collectively volunteering 8,497 hours through 1,320 participants across 42 community projects.

“It was fantastic to see so many amazing projects taking place in celebration of our 50 th anniversary," stated Marco Donzelli, HLB’s chief executive officer. "For us, #HLBCommunities Day is not only an opportunity for us to build internal relationships and showcase our community involvement but it allows us all to connect on a global level and share in the impact we create together as a network.”

KYCPA

The Educational Foundation of the Kentucky Society of CPAs announced that $82,674 in scholarships have been awarded to local college accounting students.

Scholarships were awarded during an April 26 banquet to honor students who met academic criteria established by the KyCPA’s Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, which awards the nonprofit organization’s scholarships annually.

For a full list of the 2019 scholarship recipients, head to the KyCPA's site here.

RSM US

RSM US and the RSM US Foundation announced a donation of $258,000 to four nonprofit organizations — the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Girl Scouts USA, Junior Achievement and The Rosen Foundation — during the firm's biennial owners’ meeting at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida.

Funds were raised via the meeting's “Bold Step” challenge, which promoted health and general wellbeing during the event. Winners of the challenge received donations from the RSM US Foundation to their local Birdies Fore Love charitable efforts. RSM owners attending the meeting donated an additional 1,300 pairs of shoes and socks to an Orlando-based nonprofit for children in need.

“I’m continuously blown away by the generosity of our people and by the owners of our firm,” stated Joe Adams, managing partner and CEO of RSM US. “We knew our owners’ meeting would provide us with an opportunity to support the local community, as well as other nonprofits aligned with the RSM US Foundation’s mission, but we had no idea how much our people would open their hearts and their wallets during this event.”