Donation will help military spouses seeking remote positions
Swansea-based independent wealth management firm Archford Capital Strategies has donated $4,500 to help fund career training for military spouses through a partnership with Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois. The donation was presented to the Friends of Military Families private organization at Scott Air Force Base to offset training costs for military spouses seeking fully remote positions in the financial field. The goal is to allow spouses to retain employment and benefits even as their families are assigned to other duty stations across the country.
The donation was part of Archford Capital’s 5th annual Archford Angels campaign, which encourages employees to actively serve in their communities. Each Archford team member receives an initial $1,000 grant to partner with a local nonprofit organization on a project. The employees then compete amongst one another for additional grant money. Jacob Hong chose the Leadership Council and worked with its staff and the Scott AFB Airman & Family Readiness Center to develop the military spouse training program for remote positions. Hong was awarded 3rd place, and received an additional grant of $2,500. Then in the spring of 2022, an additional $1,000 was donated, bringing the grand total to $4,500.
“I served in the US Navy and remember how stressful the job search can be for a military spouse as duty stations change so this is close to my heart,” said Hong. “The potential for a military spouse to maintain uninterrupted employment alongside their spouse over a 20-year career would be a complete game-changer for that family.”
“Options for continuous, uninterrupted remote work offers military spouses the opportunity to grow their careers rather than having to stop and start each time they make a move with their service member spouse,” said Monica Stouffer, Flight Chief with the Airman & Family Readiness Center. “These opportunities often improve satisfaction with the military lifestyle for both the service member and their spouse and increases the likelihood of retaining the service member long-term.”
Archford Capital Strategies, a private wealth management firm founded by James D. Maher, is represented by a skilled team of advisors with more than 75 advanced degrees, professional designations, accreditations, and certifications. Archford Capital Strategies offers a wide range of financial services to clients, including wealth management, retirement planning, business consulting, data management and philanthropic services. In 2019, the firm acquired Deck & Co and Tragesser & Associates PC to launch Archford Accounting with offices in Swansea and Edwardsville.
Founded in 1983, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is the premier organization fostering economic development in Southwestern Illinois. For nearly 40 years the goal has remained the same, to “Unite the Region for Growth.”
