A beautiful day in autumn, when the weather finally starts to cool, what could be a more perfect day for golf and some networking? Aside from working on their backswing, the group that had taken the workday off, were all here for a more important reason.
Tucked away at one of Phoenix’s most exclusive golf courses, was the backdrop for a more intimate setting for the Valley Guardians sponsor day! Featuring rounds to golf, delicious food and drinks, and an exclusive hour with one-on-one networking opportunities for the most prominent business owners, entrepreneurs, and influential businesses in Phoenix, Arizona. Everyone in attendance was here to support building a new future for the children in the valley.
The Valley Guardians are working towards laying the foundations for success for the children in the valley. We do this by offering children in the valley a better life, from mentorships and educational opportunities, and providing financial and medical assistance for families in need.
Meet Derren Thompson and Dan Thompson of First Western Trust, one of the largest sponsors of The Valley Guardians. The Valley Guardians is a 501-c3 charity with a $0-dollar operating budget, every cent of your donations goes directly to the children here in our hometown. With the help of our sponsor and donors, the Valley Guardians can continue to support children through opportunities to help them succeed.
Building A Community
“I want to leave a legacy that will make my family proud. Success is all about living up to your full potential and helping others achieve for themselves.’ said Derren Thompson, The Senior Vice President – Relationship Manager at First Western Trust Bank. “ ‘The Valley Guardians’ mission resonates with me as I see how they are mentoring children and showing them how they can be successful and giving them the opportunity to reach that potential.”
The Valley Guardians is an Arizona nonprofit changing the lives of children in the valley by guiding impoverished youth to reach their full potential through education, mentorship, financial assistance, and medical assistance. By teaching impoverished children the foundations for success not only can we help them reach their full potential, but also to end generational poverty in our neighborhood.
“It is about building a better life not only for our community but for those that need it most. My greatest inspiration is my family and wanting to make a lasting impact and be able to see the difference I made. My inspiration is to show people how important it is to remember what you stand for and make a positive impact in all the lives I touch.” said Dan Thompson, The Regional President Arizona and California at First Western Trust.
The Valley Guardians work closely with the impoverished youth in Arizona to provide them scholarships, school supplies, and leadership and mentorship opportunities to guide them to a more successful future.
Mentoring the Future
The Valley Guardians believe that children need to be given the opportunity to succeed. We help children reach their full potential through our mentorship and leadership programs. By partnering with the Leadership Society of Arizona, and The Challenge Foundation, we can help children realize their own potential!
These programs, with the help of our sponsors, work with students one-on-one to help them create a Personal Improvement Plan focused on building self-confidence to carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Dan, and Derren both know the importance that mentorship can have on children. As avid members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and Rosie’s House, they have decades of experience mentoring the future of Arizona. When they aren’t coaching business leaders to make their next step, helping children fall in love with music, or letting children enjoy their life, they are constantly looking to see how they can make a difference in their community.
“The Valley Guardians focus on children in our community is extremely important to us. We are both huge supporters of teaching people to succeed, and children just need a bit of guidance to change the world. Not only are the members of the Valley Guardians amazing, but they are striving to make a lasting change in our community. There are so many overlapping positives about the Valley Guardians.” They added.
Meet First Western Trust
First Western Trust is a boutique private entrepreneurial bank and trust company, offering holistic financial solutions for clients seeking Lending, Deposit, Treasury Management, Nonprofit Banking, Investment Management, Trust and Estate Planning, and more.
“I knew this is what I wanted to do back in high school! For me, it’s about helping people to achieve their dreams through financial planning! I take a lot of pride in teaching clients how to make their goals a reality and achieve it using our resources. It’s so rewarding to watch people hit their goals!” remarked Dan Thompson.
First Western Trust believes that wealth is about a lot more than balance sheets and investment portfolios. Their unique approach takes a holistic view of your unique situation by considering your wealth across four distinct quadrants: Financial, Experiential, Relational, and Legacy Wealth.
Each aspect is important to the overall story of your wealth and acknowledges a guiding truth: each and every investment, real estate holding, trust, or philanthropic endeavor connects.
“One of the reasons I love what we do is that no client is ever the same. There is always something new to learn and so much individualization for each client.” Derren continued, “We are constantly hunting for the best solutions for every client.”
You can learn more about First Western Trust and how they help businesses like yours here!
A Mission that Matters
The Valley Guardians Have Raised Over $1.5 Million Dollars for over 200 children in the valley to build the foundation for a better future. From education, mentorship, financial assistance, and medical assistance, the Valley Guardians ensure that children in our hometown get the helping hand for a better future.
“Watching others create success for themselves is a big motivation for me. It’s inspiring to watch others achieve their dreams and be happy. I love to watch others create success for themselves!” concluded Derren Thompson, who currently acts as The Senior Vice President – Relationship Manager at First Western Trust Bank.
As a 501-c3 charity with a $0-dollar operating budget, every cent of your donations goes directly to the children here in our hometown. With the help of our sponsor and donors, the Valley Guardians can continue to support children through opportunities to help them succeed. You can learn more, or donate, here.
“Whether its relationships, the children’s futures, and business: Everything we do is to build a better future and community. It’s extremely rewarding to help others achieve their goals, whatever they are!” finished Dan Thompson, The Regional President Arizona and California at First Western Trust.
Thank You, Derren Thompson and Dan Thompson, and First Western Trust for all your support of the Valley Guardians.