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A kasina Foundation Update: W!SE and Industry Night

By Lee Kowarski

In an addition to other responsibilities at kasina, I serve as the President of the kasina Youth Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports financial literacy. 2010 has been an exciting year for the Foundation, and I wanted to update you on the latest news:

• A New Partnership: We are thrilled to have formed a partnership with W!SE, an educational non-profit dedicated to providing educational support services nationwide, building financial literacy, fostering business and social entrepreneurship, and preparing students for college and the global workplace. W!SE reaches over 20,000 students per year and has a comprehensive Financial Literacy Certification Program (FLCP). The FLCP addresses the urgent need for financial literacy and education, providing high school students with access to financial education and the opportunity to become certified as financially literate. Participating schools teach personal finance and administer W!SE's standardized Financial Literacy Certification Test. We are excited to partner with this organization and look forward to supporting them both financially and with our time and guidance.
• Industry Night: Beginning next week, the Foundation will be the charity of choice for the quarterly "Industry Night" events in New York City. Over the past year, "Industry Night" has grown from a meeting of several industry executives to a must-attend event drawing over 200 senior-level attendees. The goal of these evenings is to provide an opportunity to network, share business intelligence, source new opportunities and make new friends, while also raising funds in support of financial literacy. Beginning with the event on the evening of December 9th, the attendees (executives from sales, key accounts, marketing sponsor research, alternatives, consultants, and more) are being encouraged to make a tax-deductible donation to the kasina Youth Foundation. We are grateful for this support and thrilled that Phyllis Frankfort of W!SE will be joining next week's event to discuss opportunities to get involved. If you are in the New York area next week, I encourage you to attend "Industry Night" - more information and registration is available online at http://www.seeuthere.com/rareviewindustrynight
• New Board Members: We are lucky to have two fabulous new Board members for the Foundation. Joining me, Eric Daugherty, and Bill Benz on the Board are Andy Provencher (Managing Director, Neuberger Berman) and Brett Rogers (Chief Compliance Officer, Brown Advisory). With this great team at the helm, I am confident that we will be able to have an expanded impact in 2011.