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Eric Tripp receives an Honorable MENtion Award at the Annual Dinner
May 3, 2007
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 A special dimension was added to this year’s FWA Annual Dinner with the presence of Eric Tripp, Co-president of BMO Capital Markets.
Eric Tripp receives an Honorable MENtion award from FWA President Martha Clark Goss and Executive Director Nancy Sellar |
The opportunity to showcase and thank the firm for its extraordinary contribution to the FWA Educational Fund through its Equity Through Education program was unique. By donating its institutional equity trading commissions from one day of trading to seven selected non profit organizations in the US and Canada, BMO Capital Markets has made a significant contribution to diversity in the workforce through increased educational opportunities for those who don’t have them.
Initially chosen to participate in 2005, the FWA received the gift of $200,000 for undergraduate scholarships, which we used to establish and endow an undergraduate scholarship program at Baruch College, where we had begun a mentoring program just three years earlier. Our 30 member-mentee pairs and monthly programs on career topics provide support for students – many of whose families are new to this country without business and professional background. Baruch, a public institution, is a leader in undergraduate business education that is the most ethnically diverse institution of higher education in the United States.
When BMO Capital Markets again designated the FWA as a beneficiary in 2006, unusually favorable market conditions on the One Day of Trading resulted in a contribution to the FWA of an additional $225,000. With these two gifts, we can now provide full scholarships to four young women every year from now on. This meant that more than quarter of the funds given as scholarships by the FWA Educational Fund throughout its entire history has come from the generosity of BMO Capital Markets in Equity Through Education.
 No wonder we were eager to recognize BMO Capital Markets and Eric Tripp, the moving force behind Equity Through Education. In addition to his other roles at the firm, he is the sponsor of the BMO Capital Markets Diversity Council, which is committed to achieving a diverse workforce and an equitable and supportive workplace.
In his remarks at the dinner, Mr. Tripp noted that the “One Day of Trading for a Lifetime of Opportunity” concept had not only been embraced by his firm, but pointed out to the assembled industry leaders at the dinner, “what I find especially gratifying is how well it is has been embraced by our clients, whose trade flows really create the value. In fact, what happens is that we capture the commissions of our competitors as we typically balloon our market share.”
And Mr. Tripp added an extra special fillip to the occasion. The FWA was selected for a third year as a beneficiary of the program. By a fortunate coincidence the One Day of Trading for 2007 was May 2, the day before the Annual Dinner. The suspense was broken as he announced that the calculations were complete and that the FWA Educational Fund, and our deserving young students, will benefit from an additional $200,000.
Overall, BMO Capital Markets’ Equity Through Education 2007 Campaign raised CDN$1.7 million (US$1.5 million) for North American non profit organizations.
The FWA award to BMO Capital Markets Co-President Eric Tripp at the May 3 dinner is recognized on the BMO web site. To see the announcement and photo, go to http://www.bmocm.com/equitythrougheducation/FWAHonorableMention/default.aspx
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