On May 6, LNW hosted an in-person event for our Seattle-area clients at the Seattle Asian Art Museum titled “Navigating Life’s Transitions.” The weather was fabulously sunny and warm as were the conversations and sense of community shared by the more than 100 people who attended.
This was the first of what we hope to be more in-person gatherings focused on bringing together the LNW community at the local level to share information, gain insights and hopefully come away feeling that they are part of a group that can help each member navigate through life transitions, be it starting a company, becoming empty nesters or creating a family legacy through philanthropic giving.
A Personal Take: Aligning Assets & Aspirations
LNW CEO Kristen Bauer welcomed everyone, noting that the evening would start with a candid conversation with two people whose families have chosen to do truly impactful things with their assets: Beth McCaw, co-founder of the Bernier McCaw Foundation and founding funder of Threshold Philanthropy LLC; and Jill Gardner, Family President of Laird Norton Company, now in its eighth generation (G8) as business owners and philanthropists.
Beth and Jill shared their experiences as members of families with significant wealth and how they have worked to apply family assets – not just money but also interests, skills, abilities – toward a better future for their families and their communities, in the process creating or continuing a family legacy.
There was a high level of interest in the stories Beth and Jill conveyed given how sought after each of them were for follow-up questions after their discussion with Kristen. Regardless of whether people are G1 or G8 when it comes to significant wealth, the life experiences and information presented seemed to be relevant for everyone in the room.
Group Conversations with LNW Experts
Following the Kristen-led discussion with Beth and Jill, we invited everyone to participate in one or more roundtables hosted by LNW experts on topics of interest. At one table, LNW Wealth Manager Kate Donnelly led a discussion on philanthropy, while Carla C. Wigen, President of LNW Trust Services, led on honoring your legacy and LNW Wealth Managers Lauren Martin and Monica Padineant led a conversation on raising children with affluence. LNW CIO Ron Albahary, CFA was also there to lead discussions on investing, and our Chief Impact Officer Justina Lai led a group talk on impact investing.
As people participated in the roundtables and/or strolled around the Asian Art Museum, we heard some initial reactions about this gathering, most of them about how great it was to meet in person and when would we do this again. The answer is: we don’t yet have a specific date but we definitely will be bringing the Seattle LNW community back together again.
Given the great uncertainty in the world today — political, economic, geopolitical – we have been communicating with our clients more frequently on portfolio positioning and investment strategies. But we also want to be here for them as they and their families face major life decisions and transition points.
