Chase Brakke recognized for outstanding volunteerism with honorable mention at the Invest in Others Awards
ANDOVER, Mass. — July 15, 2024 — Chase Brakke, DIA, DIF, CEPA® was today announced as an honorable mention for the Volunteer of the Year award from Invest in Others (IiO), an organization that provides a platform for financial professionals to make an impact on important causes of their choosing.
This award recognizes financial professionals who have made a significant impact on a nonprofit they work with by giving their time, talent and energy to serve the community. Brakke was nominated based on his longstanding work with Minnesota-based nonprofit BestPrep and received a $2,000 donation to benefit BestPrep.
“Being considered an honorable mention was pretty cool,” Brakke stated. “A lot of people apply for the IiO awards and being recognized for the work I do with BestPrep is exciting. The work that BestPrep does is so important because the world is only getting more complicated, and helping Minnesota kids get a head start on their financial journey by learning from professionals who do this every day is a major step in the right direction.”
BestPrep is an organization that provides educational programs to students in grades 4-12 through professional mentorship opportunities. Brakke has been involved with BestPrep since 2009 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since January 2021.
In his time with BestPrep, he has served as a professional mentor in BestPrep’s eMentors program, a classroom speaker in the Classroom Plus program, and as a student essay judge. He has also served on several BestPrep teams as chair of the Financial Matters Committee from 2016 to 2019, chair of the Volunteer Engagement Committee from 2013 to 2017 and co-chair of the Ambassador’s Committee from 2015 to 2018. He is also a current member of the BestPrep Strategic Planning Committee.
In addition to his personal contributions, Brakke has been instrumental in recruiting other North Star advisors and team members to volunteer with BestPrep. In 2023, through the eMentors program—the largest program North Star employees participate in—75 mentors worked alongside 149 students, and 100% of the students reported their eMentors experience positively.
“There is a lot more work to be done in Minnesota, especially now that there is a Financial Literacy mandate. The schools can’t do it alone, and BestPrep has the volunteer base and staff to support such an important effort,” Brakke added.
Brakke has also been recognized by BestPrep through the 2015 BestPrep Service Award and the 2018 BestPrep Bunzel Volunteer of the Year Award, the highest honor given to all BestPrep volunteers. These awards solidify his outstanding volunteerism and commitment to his work with BestPrep.
Along with his work with BestPrep, Brakke also serves as the Vice President of Business Owner Solutions at North Star. In his role, he oversees three key divisions, including the creation of North Star’s disability insurance division, the expansion of its property and casualty division and the revitalization of its Employee Benefits division. Brakke has also spearheaded the launch of a Financial Wellness Program for North Star’s Group benefits and 401(k) clients, providing essential financial education to employees. His leadership and innovative vision have had a lasting impact on North Star’s success and the well-being of its clients and employees alike.
“North Star’s mission of Changing Lives, Forever perfectly aligns with BestPrep’s mission of preparing students with business, career and financial literacy skills through hands-on experiences that inspire success in work and life.” Brakke said. “We have a strong culture of volunteerism and it’s important to me that I’m able to be in the classroom presenting as often as I’m able to.”
Brakke will be honored alongside the other honorable mentions at the Invest in Others Awards Gala on September 19 in Boston.
To learn more about the Invest in Others Volunteer of the Year Award, visit www.investinothers.org/awards.
About Invest in Others
Invest in Others was founded by the financial services industry to amplify the charitable work of financial advisors and the institutions they work for. To realize their goals, they recognize philanthropy, inspire volunteerism, and educate the investing public about the positive impact made by advisors and their firms in their communities. To learn more about Invest in Others, visit www.investinothers.org.
About North Star Resource Group
North Star Resource Group is a Minneapolis-based financial services firm that provides both individuals and businesses with the resources to help create, preserve, and protect their wealth. North Star has more than 192 full-time advisors and over 178 employees. In a network of 42 offices in over 20 states, they have contributed to the financial security and well-being of over 140,000 individuals and small businesses**. To learn more about North Star Resource Group, visit www.northstarfinancial.com.
**Data as of December 2023
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ian Rich at 612.617.6076, or email him at ian.rich@northstarfinancial.com.
Chase Brakke is a registered representative offering securities through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.
2024 Volunteer of the Year Award Honorable Mention Issued by Invest in Others. Nominees must be currently working as registered representatives, registered investment advisors, or financial advisors with a professional designation. Nominees must be active financial advisors, defined by spending at least 75% of their time providing financial consultation with clients. Nominees must have worked in this capacity for at least three years. Volunteer involvement with the nonprofit organization must be current and ongoing for at least three years. Nominations are evaluated based on an advisor’s leadership, dedication, contribution, inspiration and impact on a nonprofit and the community it serves. Three finalists are selected in each of the six categories with one winner being chosen for each award. Award finalists and winners receive generous donations from Invest in Others to their designated charities. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.