About Us
About
Mission
We help progressively minded people and organizations invest with their values and prosper - contributing to a new world of peace-making, justice-centered, sustainable communities.
Pictured (left to right): Gary Matthews, Jackie Warren, Shinita Gray-Virgil, Greg Garvan, Karen Kiriazis, George Gay, CEO of First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC.
About
Values
First Affirmative and its network advisers embrace the highest ethical standards, including:- Public Good: We actively promote the direct relationship between financial decision-making and the public good. We place the interests of our clients above our own.
- Respect: We nurture and maintain a culture of respect in all we do.
- Commitment to Quality: We seek to provide the highest quality investment choices, social research, and specialized assistance available.
- Integrity: We operate in a fiscally and socially responsible manner, proactively promoting ethical behavior among professional peers and within their wider communities.
About
Gary R. Matthews PhD, CPA/PFS AIF®
Gary is an investment advisory representative and network member of First Affirmative Financial Network (see below). He is a registered CPA, and has successfully completed NASD Series 7, 63 and 65 registrations. Gary specializes in socially responsible and environmentally sustainable investment, tax and financial consulting (SRI). He enjoys working with individuals, churches, religious organizations, not-for-profit groups and progressive small businesses.Gary began his career as a CPA, tax and financial planner with Arthur Andersen & Co. in 1979. Working with individuals, closely-held companies and not-for-profit organizations, he was promoted to manager in 1983 and remained with the firm as an experienced tax and financial consulting manager until 1987.
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About
Gary R. Matthews PhD, CPA/PFS AIF®
He went on to become a Partner and Director of Taxes for a regional CPA firm in Albany, NY, again working primarily with closely-held companies, partnerships and individuals. He has specialized in social investing and financial planning for the past seven years.Gary has been awarded the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Having received formal training in investment fiduciary responsibility, Gary has also earned the ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY® professional designation, awarded by the Center for Fiduciary Studies, which is associated with the University of Pittsburgh.
About
Gary R. Matthews PhD, CPA/PFS AIF®
In 2003 and again in 2005, First Affirmative Financial Network made "outstanding service" awards to Gary for his achievements in the field. Gary has also been admitted to the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals for appearance in the 2006-2007 edition. Currently, Gary serves on the Executive Committee and is Treasurer of GreenFaith, New Jersey’s interfaith coalition for the environment. He is also the Treasurer of Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, NJ.
Gary received his PhD in social ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York, and his MS in accounting from the State University of New York at Albany. He lives in Madison, NJ with his wife, Lisa, and his two sons, Dan and Aaron.
About
First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC
First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC (FAFN) is an independent investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). FAFN supports a nationwide network of investment professionals who specialize in helping clients take a socially responsible approach to investing (SRI). FAFN also provides consulting and asset management services for institutions seeking to integrate mission and values into investment strategy and decision making.First Affirmative’s investment programs cover all major asset classes. Its Network Advisers offer a full array of financial services designed to help clients incorporate personal values and social concerns into custom formulated investment strategies.
About
First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC
Investors have more opportunities than ever before to make sound investment choices that offer competitive returns and positive social impact. First Affirmative works to ensure that our client’s assets are helping to build a future in which prosperity comes not through the impoverishment of others, nor through gains that despoil the environment, nor from decisions that sow the seeds of future conflicts.We focus our business and client services on promoting the direct relationship between financial decision-making and the public good. We are dedicated to a fundamental transformation process focused on creating a more just, sustainable and humane global society.
About
Greg Garvan AIF® MS
In 2003, Greg obtained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®), designation. A fiduciary ensures that portfolio assets are being prudently managed and sound investment practices are being followed. This includes a comprehensive overview of fiduciary standards of care, asset allocation and preparation of investment policy statements, manager search and due diligence, performance measurement, and other related subjects.Greg’s fiduciary training dovetails well with his broader experience over the past twenty years. After receiving his Master’s degree in business management, Greg worked in the 1980’s primarily with foundations providing charitable and tax planning.
About
Greg Garvan AIF® MS
In 1992, he founded Money with a Mission and obtained licenses to practice investment management and financial planning. He became a fee-only advisor in 1995 and an Investment Advisory Representative with First Affirmative Financial Network (FAFN). Greg has since completed all coursework for the certified financial planner designation.Greg has a long history of community service beginning with his volunteer work at an animal shelter as a teenager. He has served in trustee positions on a number of not-for-profit boards. Current service passions include Community Foundation work, The History Center in Tompkins County, and the Finger Lakes Land Trust. A strong faith orientation also prompts Greg to consult with churches about planned giving and fund raising.
About
Greg Garvan AIF® MS
He has been involved with many organizations, including:
- Habitat for Humanity
- The Nature Conservancy, MA
- Responsible Wealth (a national organization dedicated to social change for the wealthy)
- More than Money (helping people with money consider what more is there)
- Leadership Tompkins (community leadership training)
- Youth organizations
About
Jackie Warren - Client Services Manager
Jackie Warren is a Registered Para-planner and a Certified Tax Preparer. As Client Service Manager for the firm, she handles virtually all of the administrative tasks of the business, including customer relations, paper flow, and client information gathering. Her primary task is to provide the most reliable, timely and competent client service possible.
About
Jackie Warren - Client Services Manager
Jackie has lived the majority of her life in Ithaca, NY where she has worked in both the food industry, as a cook and caterer, as well as the medical world as a phlebotomist/lab technician. Although she has been out of the restaurant business for many years, she still loves cooking and loves to have friends and family in for brunch and dinner parties.
About
Karen Kiriazis - Client Services
Karen recently moved to Ithaca, NY from New Hampshire. She brings five years of executive level credit union experience to our Client Service Administrative team. Whether she is helping a FAFN Adviser with paperwork for a new account or helping a client with a request, she is always doing it with a smile and really enjoys helping people. In her spare time, Karen enjoys exploring her new surroundings with her family and cooking.
