Andy Drennen is senior portfolio manager at Simmons Private Wealth and a member of the CFO's investment advisory board.
Andy Drennen knows some help can make a difference — and he’s using that knowledge to help others.
A senior portfolio manager for Simmons Private Wealth and member of the CFO’s Investment Advisory Board, Drennen is the child of missionaries. Growing up in South America showed him the tragedy of extreme need, and, later, he realized his family received support for things like Christmas toys.
“I saw poverty at its worst,” he says of his time in Paraguay. “Kids living on the street; selling whatever they could to get by. I guess those two things, once I got older and in a career, was like, ‘If I can find a way to give back with my personal resources, I’m definitely going to do that.’”
That desire has manifested through Stand For Springfield, a donor-advised fund which Drennen and a co-founder began to support the community.
“I didn’t get to meet the person that gave me the toy 30-whatever years ago,” he says. “I’m not going to see the results that this will have 30 years from now, and I’m 100% okay with that.”
The fund primarily supports Springfield youth. In addition to holiday and back-to-school needs, an example of the fund’s impact is seen through grants for the FosterAdopt Connect’s YouthConnect Center, a drop-in shelter for teenagers who are experiencing housing instability. The fund helped provide a pair of shoes a youth needed for a performance, Drennen says.
The experience has fulfilled Drennen’s desire to serve but also shows him how generous community members can be, too.
“I think most remarkable for me is that there are so many people in our community that care. If they just have a conduit, somebody to rally them, then they will step up.”
Who inspires you? Send your suggestions of individuals moving the needle in your community to Kaitlyn McConnell, the CFO's writer in residence, at kmcconnell@cfozarks.org.