NTSA is proud to name Kent Schutte, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, TGPC, one of the 2021 recipients of the NTSA Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award.
Schutte, President and Financial Advisor at EFS Advisors, has been an active volunteer with the NTSA. His volunteer activity includes serving as a member of the Elite Advisor Award Judging Committee, Summit presentations and service as President and Past President.
Says Schutte of his NTSA service, “Increasing employee participation in non-ERISA 403(b) plans has always been and will continue to be my primary focus and passion. Helping employees of educational facilities, to become educated so they start early, save more and plan better to retire when they are ready, is who and why I serve. Educational seminars, implementing match programs, online enrollments and auto enrollments is how I serve. Over the past 30 years, I have met with thousands of educators and truly believe that most are underpaid and underappreciated, yet society expects them to sculpt the future of America. If I can influence more advisors regardless of geography, to develop a passion to encourage educational employees to participate early and throughout their life, that is one of the personal best compliments I can ever receive.”
Schutte’s community service includes volunteer work with the Cambridge Area Community Foundation. Says Schutte, “In the small town of Cambridge, MN with a population of just under 10,000 they can sometimes struggle to keep a thriving downtown. As big box stores have moved into the outskirts, it is important to the city leaders to see how other local business leaders can help. In conjunction with the local healthcare systems, banks, realtors, and other local merchants, we worked together for the benefit of all. We immediately put together a fundraising challenge and I personally challenged other businesses to match my donations. When COVID-19 hit, there was an immediate impact on several local restaurants, clothing stores and other merchants. We regularly bought lunches for staff from local restaurants who had carry out to support their businesses. It is so rewarding to band together and watch the pouring out of compassion and financial support in order to keep the small businesses afloat during these unprecedented times.”
About the NTSA Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award
The NTSA Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award honors and promotes NTSA members’ volunteer and service work in two areas: both with the NTSA in their tax-exempt retirement industry markets and with the member’s own non-profit community. This award evidences to the retirement industry, as well as the tax-exempt and non-profit communities, as well as to clients and their supporting parties, that the excellence and social responsibility represented by NTSA members enhances their unique partnerships.
Volunteerism. NTSA standing committees and projects, through the NTSA member’s donation of time and talent, in ways that are extraordinary, unique and valuable.
Service. Community Service, either locally or nationally, through the NTSA member’s donation of time and talent, in ways that are significant, innovative and meaningful.
The awards were established in the 30th anniversary year of the NTSA in honor of the unique, lifelong volunteer efforts of Richard Ford, a lively and dedicated NTSA volunteer for its whole life. Ford was an extraordinary community volunteer and promoter as well. NTSA officers, on behalf of the association and in unanimous conjunction with the NTSA Leadership Council, established these awards in 2019, following the untimely passing of Ford. As Chief Marketing Officer for PlanMember Financial Corporation and a leading NTSA Strategic Partner, Ford also created, implemented and promoted the PlanMember “Make a Difference” annual award.
See the full Terms and Conditions for the NTSA FVSA purpose and process at https://www.ntsa-net.org/sites/ntsa-net.org/files/PDFs/2022_FVSA_TandCv3.18.2021.pdf
In Part I of a special, three-part NTSA WOWcast series about the Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award and its inaugural winners, NTSA Past President Randy Aranowitz discusses the award with Kevin Twohy and NTSA Past Presidents Kris Coffey and Susan Diehl; together the four form the Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award Committee. In Part I-B, Aranowitz interviews 2020 Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award winner Lisa Stubbs.
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