Join us for our panel Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Impact Investing for Young Professionals. The discussion will focus on ways individual investors can make both a financial return and a positive impact on society.
Panelists' organizations include Domini Social Investments, Slow Money NYC, Return on Change and First Affirmative Financial Network in addition to CPA's and Financial Advisors. The panel will be moderated by award-winning journalist and author, Amy Cortese.
Panelist Bios:
Gary Matthews, PhD CPA/PFS AIF® - First Affirmative Financial Network
Gary Matthews has been a practicing CPA and financial advisor for 30+ years and has held management positions in both international and regional CPA firms. Managing his own professional practice since 2000 in New York City specializing in sustainable, responsible, impact (SRI) investment strategies, Gary works closely with and is an investment advisory representative of First Affirmative Financial Network. He is a personal financial specialist (PFS) through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and an accredited investment fiduciary (AIF®). He holds an M.S. degree in accounting from the State University of NY at Albany, and a PhD in social ethics from Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan. Gary serves on the Board of Trustees of New York Theological Seminary, also in Manhattan. He is a former Treasurer and board member of GreenFaith, an national interfaith coalition inspiring and training religious leaders of all faiths to be environmental leaders and advocates.
Adam Kanzer - Domini Social Investments
Adam Kanzer is Managing Director and General Counsel of Domini Social Investments and Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Domini Funds. His responsibilities include directing Domini’s shareholder advocacy department, where for more than ten years he has led numerous dialogues with corporations on a wide range of social and environmental issues. Mr. Kanzer is a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee, created by the Dodd-Frank Act, and served on the SEC’s inaugural Investor Advisory Committee (June 2009-November 2010). He is a founding member and serves on the board of the Global Network Initiative, an organization addressing threats to freedom of expression and privacy rights on the Internet and other communication technologies, and serves on the board of Tax Justice Network-USA, the public policy committee of US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment and the advisory council of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
Derek Denckla, Slow Money NYC
Derek Denckla is an impact investor and a serial social entrepreneur. He founded and directs Slow Money NYC – now 850 members -- and Foodshed Investors NY, an angel investor network focused on funding small, local and sustainable food business aligned with Slow Money Principles. Core to Denckla’s approach to promoting social enterprise has been producing unique events that engage multiple stakeholders. In the past four years, he has produced or participated in over 100 food forward gatherings, including an annual day-long good food finance event. Recently branded as “Food + Enterprise,” this gathering sold out early and was attended by more than 400 participants. One key participant in this major event was North East Foodshed Finance Alliance, a network led by Slow Money NYC under Denckla’s leadership. Denckla provides business consulting and private equity through his firm, Denckla Projects. He has invested in Egg Restaurant, Windowfarms, Mouth.com, Red Hook Community Farm, Cayuga Pure Organics, Blue Marble Ice Cream and several other companies.
Sang Lee, Return on Change
Sang LeeSang Lee is the CEO and founder of Return on Change, an online investment platform for startups and investors. Formerly an investment banker in the energy field at WestLB and BNP Paribas, Sang has accrued a wealth of expertise in financial regulation, business, and financial structuring. He has significant experience in the advisory and execution of more than $10.0 Bn equivalent of energy transactions in North America. During his career, Sang was focused on structuring, credit analysis, documentation and deal execution for complex transactions involving multiple investor groups, institutional investors, and financing products from major investment banks. In addition to serving as the President of KSE (Korean Startups and Entrepreneurs), Sang is the Executive Director of CF50, a global think tank specializing in alternative finance. He has been featured in both domestic and international publications including Forbes, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNBC, Fast Company, Crains, and L’Express. Sang was also recognized as an ‘Under30CEO Entrepreneur to Watch in New York City’ and a “GOOD100” leader.
Moderator - Amy Cortese
Amy Cortese is an award-winning journalist and editor who covers topics spanning business, finance, food, wine and environmental issues. Her work has appeared in the the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, New York, Business Week, the Daily News, Portfolio, Mother Jones, Afar, The American, the Daily Beast, Talk, Business 2.0 and Wired, among other publications. Her book, Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From it (John Wiley & Sons, June 2011), draws upon her experience covering these diverse realms to explore how a small shift in investment away from multinationals towards locally-owned enterprises can reap enormous economic and social benefits for individuals, their communities and the country.
Paid Net Impact Members - You have the option of also meeting with a panelist or CPA for a 1:1 advising session. Space is limited, so register early.
Networking reception to follow.
If you have any questions, reach out to Impact Investing chair, Alex.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors!
Sweetriot is providing chocolate and Greyston Bakery is providing brownies for the event. Both are great social enterprises and we thank them for their partnership.