Austin Gives With South Texas Money Management
Jeanie Wyatt makes giving back a Texas-wide office tradition.
Giving back to the community in which she works is just good business, says Jeanie Wyatt, chief executive officer and chief investment officer of South Texas Money Management. “It puts the firm in touch with that community and its needs, and provides to our employees a sense of ownership in each of the five communities where we do business,” Wyatt says.
Since founding the money-management and investment-advisory firm in 2000, Wyatt has grown teams in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Corpus Christi that manage funds for 100 nonprofit organizations nationwide, allowing them to focus on achieving their missions. This working relationship has naturally led to community involvement through these nonprofit clients, with STMM donating monetary resources, as well as educational and volunteer support.
“Many of our employees serve on nonprofit boards and foundations where we give not only time, but talent and treasure as well,” Wyatt says.
As a woman-owned and -operated business, STMM supports philanthropic efforts that, in turn, support women, an outcome Wyatt says she and her employees enjoy. An artist at heart, Wyatt also thrives on giving back to the arts and humanities. The Long Center, Conspirare, Austin Chamber Music Center and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are some of the cultural organizations STMM supports. It also gives back through The Seton Fund, Impact Austin and Girl Scouts of Central Texas, to name a few.
STMM developed a unique program for its nonprofit clients called Give Back, through which 25 percent of the annual investment-management fee is donated back to the client, up to $5,000 per year. The firm also features a STMM client in its quarterly nonprofit spotlight.
“Our clients appreciate learning about our nonprofit clients that employ the same philosophy of money management and the valuable and much-needed services they provide in their communities,” Wyatt says.
Along with a quarterly newsletter just for nonprofit clients that offers valuable information and advice, STMM hosts an annual luncheon that highlights speakers and topics relevant to nonprofit organizations and offers networking opportunities. The luncheon is free for those in the nonprofit community.
One of Wyatt’s favorite community-giving events was when her Austin staff cooked lunch and provided food for guests staying at the Ronald McDonald House while their children received treatment at local hospitals.
“It was a wonderful experience for all involved,” she says. “I was proud of our Austin team for taking time out of their weekend to provide this service for parents and children staying at the Ronald McDonald House. It was deeply rewarding to watch as everyone made their plates, with obvious appreciation for our efforts.”
Wyatt says this commitment in the world outside of work registers with STMM’s clients and prospects.
“It gives everyone a perspective on the world and how blessed we all are to be able to be a part of a great firm,” she says, “and to help our clients make a better place for them personally and in the world.”
South Texas Money Management is a member of Austin Gives, an organization dedicated to highlighting businesses for doing good. In its four-year existence, Austin Gives has aggregated almost 400 Austin-area companies that have made the commitment to donate at least 1 percent of their annual earnings to charity. To learn more about Austin Gives, visit austin.gives
TUNE IN
Austin Woman Publisher Melinda Garvey and South Texas Money Management Founder and CEO Jeanie Wyatt talk about the importance of women in business and Austin businesses giving back.
When: March 1, 9 a.m.
Station: KEYE-TV
Segment: We Are Austin
Website: keyetv.com/features/we-are-austin
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