Celebrating National Philanthropy Day
Raymond James financial advisor adds value to online learning
As a young girl growing up in Vermillion, Alberta, Sharon Lynne-Matei’s father imparted to his daughter a philosophy of giving back. Today, with more than 30 years’ experience providing clients comprehensive investment advice, Sharon says serving in her Edmonton community comes naturally.
The Raymond James investment advisor views service to her community on the same level as doing right by the clients she serves.
Whether it’s guiding them to achieve and maintain robust financial health, or helping them see the value in donating, both their time and funds (when appropriate), to good causes through the creative estate-planning programs she designs, Sharon’s service-oriented credo resonates in everything she does.
That includes serving on numerous community boards as volunteer consultant and fund gatherer.
Gifting future careers
Importantly, for AU, Sharon’s philanthropy knows no bounds. She appreciates the University’s mission to provide open and flexible online education, as well as its ingenuity to develop and launch newer programs – like the RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University.
She also identifies with our graduates’ annual convocation stories depicting their achievements of triumph over challenge — educational feats which, she attests, could not be accomplished within a physical edifice university setting.
For more than six years, Sharon served on the investment advisory committee to the Board of Governors of Athabasca University. In 2012, she pledged a major gift to AU’s RAIC Centre for Architecture — and secured a half-matching figure from her employer, Raymond James, through the company’s charitable foundation.
If that weren’t enough, when the funding from Sharon’s major gift, (paid in annual installments) was complete, she put her altruism to work once again — pledging an additional annual gift to AU — along with that 50 per cent matching donation.
Sharon’s spirit of giving back is a true gift to Athabasca University and to the Edmonton community.
Last Friday, that altruism was acknowledged at the 19th annual AFP awards luncheon when the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Edmonton and Area Chapter) awarded Sharon Lynne-Matei the 2017 AFP National Philanthropy Day Award.
“Sharon’s spirit of giving back is a true gift to Athabasca University and to the Edmonton community.”
The AFP’s National Philanthropy Day (NPD) website states the event, held last Friday, Nov. 9, at Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre, honours “and recognize those who contribute their time, talents, financial support and other resources to Edmonton’s philanthropic organizations … giv[ing] us an opportunity to say “Thank You,” and collectively express our appreciation by recognizing individuals, corporations, foundations and fundraisers for their time, talent and dedication to the spirit of giving.
Sharon Lynne Matei certainly fits that criteria!
On behalf of AU, thank you, Sharon, for all that you do for your community, your clients and, above all, for the tremendous support you have provided to our university. Your generosity to the RAIC Centre for Architecture at AU will continue to help our students pursue their educational goals, design their futures and achieve their career dreams.
