NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Annual Financial Services Cares Gala will celebrate its 11th year on June 9, 2016. The event gathers more than 700 financial industry leaders to raise funds for cancer research and patient service programs supported by the American Cancer Society. The Gala includes a seated dinner, a live auction and a talent show where representatives from participating banks and investment companies face off in a musical battle, “Wall Street’s Got Talent.” To date, this annual Gala has raised over $11.7 million.
The Gala was originated by visionary Gene O’Kelly, former CEO of KPMG, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Gene was committed to promoting philanthropy and volunteerism in the workplace and instituted company policy to positively impact employee wellness. Gene lost his battle several months after his diagnosis, but his wife, Corinne, continues his efforts by serving as the Gala Legacy Chair.
This year the Eugene D. O’Kelly Award will be presented to two distinguished doctors: Charles S. Fuchs, MD, MPH, and Adam Bass, MD, both of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at the Harvard Cancer Center. The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center unites the cancer research efforts of five academic medical centers and two Harvard schools. Fuchs’s current research focuses on gastrointestinal cancer epidemiology, while Bass’s expertise enhances modern genomics, experimental/functional biology and clinical medicine.
“Cancer is personal for everyone,” comments John Thiel, Head of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Chairman of the Financial Services Cares Gala. “The Financial Services community has been coming together for over a decade at this particular event, raising millions and millions of dollars, to honor the memory of those lost and the contributions of those who continue to fight, research and aid. This year we highlight the advancements made through Dr. Charles Fuchs’ and Dr. Adam Bass’ work.”
Leading the charge this year will be Robert F. Arning, Vice Chair, Market Development, KPMG, LLP; Robert S. Kapito, President, BlackRock; Richie Prager, Managing Director, BlackRock. All are alongside Thiel as the event chairs of the evening. This year, the Financial Services Cares Gala Distinguished Service Award in honor of Charles S. Hallac will be presented to John Hancock Financial.
In addition to using the money raised for research and patient services, since 2011 the American Cancer Society has donated a portion of the net proceeds from the Gala to support the Hope & Heroes organization at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City to help with its cutting edge programs and research on pediatric cancer and blood disorders.
“First and foremost, we want to thank the Financial Services community,” stated Kris Kim, Executive Vice President at the American Cancer Society, at last year’s event. “The millions raised at this event have made an incredible impact in the fight to end cancer. By funding critical patient service programs and lifesaving cancer research, the Gala has become a literal lifeline for hundreds of people.”
For additional information on the June event, or to purchase tickets, please contact: Jackie Walsh at jacquelyn.walsh@cancer.org (212.237.3811) or visit www.acsfinancialservicescares.org. If you’re unable to attend but would like to make a donation please click here.
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The Financial Services Cares Gala would like to show our appreciation to this year’s sponsors: Ascensus, ADP, American Century Investments, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, BlackRock, Blackstone, BNP Paribas, CISCO, Citi Global Markets, Inc, CME Group, Credit Suisse, Czech Asset Management, LLP, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young, Fidelity Investments, Franklin Templeton Investments, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim Partners, LLC, HSBC, ICAP Americas, Jefferies, JP Morgan Chase, KPMG LLP, MacAndrews & Forbes Inc., MarketAxess Corp, Markit, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, MassMutual, Morgan Stanley, Mutual of America, Nasdaq, Nationwide Insurance, NetApp, Nomura Securities International, PIMCO, PricewaterhouseCooper, RBC Capital Markets, Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, State Street Global Advisors, Tradeweb Markets, UBS, Wells Fargo Securities, Willkie Far & Gallagher LLP, World Wide Technology, Inc.
About the American Cancer Society
As the largest voluntary health organization in the United States with 2.5 million dedicated volunteers, the American Cancer Society is committed to saving lives and finishing the fight against cancer. We combine our relentless passion with the wisdom of over a century of experience to make this vision a reality, and we get results. Thanks in part to our contributions; more than 1.5 million lives have been saved in the US in the past two decades. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. We're finding cures as the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care and lifesaving screenings. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.