Connecting Clients with Causes that Matter: Scott Phelan’s Mission for PAN

By Grace Mowey, storyteller at Magnolia Media Group

More than 20 years ago, Scott Phelan found a job that he loved. 

He currently holds the title of CFP Executive Vice President/Wealth Management, Financial Advisor for Willett Phelan Myers Rodts Wealth Management Group at Janney Montgomery Scott.

Scott’s professional journey began as a wholesaler for financial advisors until 2003 when one of his clients reached out and offered to teach him the ropes of financial advising. Since then, Scott hasn’t looked back.

“I’ve been doing it a long time, but I enjoy the heck out of it. I’ll probably die at my desk one day,” Scott joked.

This love for financial advising led to a connection with former Community Foundation Executive Director Judy Waters. 

“She said she was putting together a professional advisors network and asked me to be a part of it,” Scott said. “It was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

After initially connecting with Judy, Scott took on leadership roles as head of the Professional Advisors Network (PAN) and later as Chair of the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. He believes PAN plays a pivotal role in the success of the foundation’s philanthropy.

“Whenever you talk to any community foundation around the country, their professional advisors group is probably the most important group outside of their existing donors,” he shared.

Scott was once unfamiliar with community foundations and their role in the community, and he hopes PAN continues reaching, teaching and encouraging advisors as they guide their clients through money management. 

“Community foundations are a knowledge base of the nonprofit world — understanding how that world works and understanding how they might be beneficial for your clients,” he explained. 

PAN also allows Scott to connect with other professionals whose expertise benefits him and his clients. 

“I love walking into a room with sharp, smart, talented people that I can learn from,” he said.

“I’ve gotten to know other advisors who have referred folks to me and vice versa, and I’ve gotten to know really talented CPAs, estate tax attorneys and [other professionals] and been able to refer them business.”

Through PAN and the Community Foundation, Scott has found a way to personally give back to the community and connect his clients to causes that matter. 

“A lot of people have given me some opportunities that frankly at the time I didn’t deserve and helped me along the way. In some small way, for me to give back does more for me sometimes than it does for the recipients,” he said.

When his clients approach him about giving back to charity, Scott knows exactly where to refer them.

“I’m always amazed when many of my clients who are charitably-inclined understand what the Community Foundation does and are thoroughly impressed by it,” he shared. “To a great extent, they ask themselves, ‘I’ve been giving to charity over the years. Why have I done it any other way than through a community foundation?’”

Scott wants to see local professionals continue to grow with PAN and learn how the Community Foundation can benefit them and their clients. 

“I hope we can engage the professional advisors more, bring value to them and engage those folks in the community who want to be involved in philanthropy,” he said.

And to professional advisors who aren’t sure about joining PAN? 

“Let us know if you’re interested,” Scott said. “We’ll find out about your business, what you like to do, how you like to do it and see if there’s some commonality where we can be beneficial to each other.”
To learn more about PAN, contact us today!