Professional Advisors Breakfast and the $20 Million dollar man

A recent Professional Advisors breakfast (20 June) brought together more than forty local advisors committed to making a difference in the South Canterbury community. The event, organised by the Aoraki Foundation, featured guest speaker Stephen Brent from RVG Law in Queenstown.

The morning kicked off with a warm welcome from Aoraki Foundation Chief Executive, Richard Spackman. Spackman expressed his gratitude to the attendees for their presence and highlighted the importance of professional advisors for the success of community foundations. He emphasised their role in spreading awareness and understanding about the Aoraki Foundation and its ongoing contributions to the advancement of South Canterbury.

Spackman acknowledged the remarkable progress made by the Aoraki Foundation over the past year, including the establishment of eight new funds and bequests, amounting to approximately $1.3 million. These contributions are earmarked for endowments, ensuring sustainable support for South Canterbury charities in perpetuity. He further noted that the foundation had already distributed an impressive $444,075 to the local community in this year alone, thanks to the generosity of local donors.

Highlighting the importance of commercial partnerships, Spackman expressed his gratitude to the local business community for their recent support. Oceania Dairy became Aoraki Foundation’s first Strategic Partner, and in addition to several businesses, the three local councils have also provided support as Community Partners - contributing to the foundation's mission and operational costs.

Following Spackman's address, guest speaker, Stephen Brent took the stage. Brent is a partner at RVG Law and, as a clear indication that he was not a ‘stuffy’ lawyer, he started by explaining the playful name of his firm, RVG Law, which stands for Really Very Good.

Having grown up in regional towns throughout the South Island Steve has always had a strong connection with community and a passion for making a difference. A turning point in his life came when, at 50, he thought about how he could give back to the community that had given him so much support. Watching the Netflix series ‘Afterlife’ by Ricky Gervais, he was struck by a profound quote from the show.

“A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in"

This quote resonated with him and sparked a determination to invest in his community through the Wakatipu Community Foundation.

Stephen described community foundations as a trustworthy and long-lasting way for individuals to give back to their local communities. He acknowledged the role of professional advisors in helping their clients to navigate the process of including community foundations in their wills and memorandum of wishes.

He shared several heartwarming stories of clients who had decided to leave a significant portion of their estate to the Wakatipu Foundation, and the causes that were dear to them. The value of these gifts alone total more than $20 million (including a gift from Stephen and his wife).

Brent urged local professional advisors to familiarise themselves with the Aoraki Foundation and its strategic purpose. He encouraged them to ask a one simple question when clients are making decisions about their estate:

"Have you thought about leaving something for the community?”

If they showed no interest, then move the conversation on. There is no harm in asking the question. However, there are times when that question might lead to the gift of a lifetime that will benefit a community in perpetuity.

He closed the morning by encouraging advisors that they were in a unique position, where they could be the ones to motivate individuals to plant trees of generosity and compassion through philanthropy.