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HOLBROOK, N.Y. (Dec. 2, 2020)—American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (AP)—a privately-held, independent broker/dealer that services financial advisors across the country—formally announces the recent donation of $50,000 in general operating funding to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC), a leader in live performing arts on Long Island, New York. This charitable contribution, made possible through the American Portfolios Foundation, Inc., will help to sustain WHBPAC through the COVID-19 pandemic as it looks for ways to innovate and present the performing arts to audiences in modern ways. AP’s support also ensures the WHBPAC will be able to continue its landmark Arts Academy programs and reach a wider audience than ever before.
“AP has taken a long-term stakeholder approach toward sustainability by implementing a business strategy that considers every dimension in the ethical, social, environmental, cultural and economic realms,” states AP CEO Lon T. Dolber. “While we aspire to touch upon many aspects of sustainability, we have always been committed to serving people and places we are connected to—more specifically through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, in which AP gives us a platform to do good work in our communities, in turn making the world a better place for everyone. Therefore, we are pleased to be in a position to aid WHBPAC during these unprecedented times and are honored to support their mission.”
“Support from partners like American Portfolios is critical to our survival,” said Julienne Penza-Boone, executive director of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. “Although we represent completely different spheres of business, we share core values—the most important being that we put people first. CEO Lon T. Dolber understands that in a time of crisis, we have to take care of one another. He recognizes the importance of access to the arts, particularly in these dark times. This makes American Portfolios an ideal partner for WHBPAC.”
Currently, the live events industry in New York state remains at an impasse as it continues to advocate for reopening measures. WHBPAC has been shuttered since March 2020 and was forced to reschedule its summer lineup to 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a loss from which the theatre is still recovering. Without the theatre and its legendary Mainstage performances, the Westhampton Beach economy has suffered as a result. “This funding will go a long way toward helping the theatre’s Arts Academy continue to offer small, socially-distanced arts programs,” said Penza-Boone. “We were able to pivot and offer most of our classes virtually—including Masterclasses with Broadway performers and inspiring webinars with our Moment series—but now we’re facing the reality of what it will take to reopen safely at some point and this generous donation will help us do just that.”
A resident of East Moriches, N.Y., Dolber has both a personal and professional connection to WHBPAC and firmly believes the sponsorship of the local not-for-profit arts organization will fit seamlessly into AP’s sustainability and CSR goals. “As good corporate citizens, we are obliged to help the communities in which we live and work,” states Dolber. “Social responsibility is a mutually beneficial exercise on a multitude of levels—namely, financially. We gain so much more, personally and professionally, by doing good than by worrying solely about the bottom line.”
AP holds itself responsible not only for its investment professionals who serve the investing public, but also to the community-at-large with its active involvement in many socially responsible endeavors involving veterans, individuals with disabilities, mentoring and education, and health and well-being. AP is proud to support and sponsor such non-profit organizations as World T.E.A.M. (WT), The Center for Discovery (TCFD), Virtual Enterprises International (VEI), Life Arts, Inc., The Butterfly Effect Project (BEP), Long Island Cares (LIC) and Honor Flight Long Island (HFLI), to name a few.
About American Portfolios
Headquartered in Holbrook, N.Y., American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) is a full-service, independent broker/dealer and member firm of FINRA and SIPC, offering a complete range of financial services, including personal financial and retirement planning, securities trading, mutual funds, access to investment research, long-term care planning, insurance products and tax-free investing. Fee-based asset management is offered through its sister subsidiary, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., (APA), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Both entities, along with technology entity American Portfolios Advisory Solutions, LLC, collectively reside under the legal entity American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. (APH). Full-service securities brokerage is available through a clearing firm relationship with Pershing, LLC, a BNY Mellon firm, the securities of which are held on a fully disclosed basis. The company currently supports 862 independent investment professionals—inclusive of registered assistants—and more than 375 non-registered associates, located in 405 branch locations throughout the nation. It was named Broker-Dealer of the Year* (Division III) by Investment Advisor magazine for six consecutive years (2015-2020); a 2019 and 2020 WealthManagement.com Industry Award Finalist in multiple categories, and the 2020 winner in the service category of B/Ds under 1,000 representatives for its Virtual Administrative Services (VAS) program**; one of the Best Companies to Work for in the state of New York for five consecutive years (2016-2020) by the New York State Society for Human Resources Management (NYS-SHRM) and the Best Companies Group (BCG); and one of the Top Long Island Workplaces for 2018, 2019 and 2020 by Newsday.
* Based on a poll of registered representatives conducted by Investment Advisor magazine. Broker/dealers rated highest by their representatives are awarded “Broker/Dealer (B/D) of the Year.”
** Wealthmanagement.com Industry Award finalists are selected by a panel of independent judges made up of subject matter experts in the industry. Award is based on support provided to AP’s affiliated people and does not reflect public customers nor their account performance.
About Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC) is a year-round, community-based, not-for-profit 501(c)3 arts organization, founded in 1997, that serves patrons on the East End and beyond. Known as the “Crown Jewel” of Westhampton Beach, WHBPAC originally opened as Prudential’s Westhampton Theatre in 1932 as a movie theatre before eventually falling into disrepair. In 1996, a group of concerned citizens joined together to revive the art deco theatre and restore it to its former glory. Throughout the process, the community was the backbone of the fundraising effort. More than half the cost of the entire renovation project came from residents and business owners. And on July 4, 1998, the new Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center reopened its doors to the public, where it has since cultivated its reputation as the pioneer of the Hamptons performing arts community. The theatre relies on sponsorship and fundraising to support its mission to keep the arts alive on Long Island and to sustain community growth. Welcoming over 45,000 patrons each year through Mainstage performances and Arts Academy programming, WHBPAC is a visionary of the cultural arts. WHBPAC is a vibrant venue committed to providing a greater understanding and appreciation of the arts and meeting the cultural aspiration of the area by presenting world-class performing arts, music, dance, comedy and cinema from around the world; providing premier arts education programs to the widest and most diverse audiences, regardless of socio-economic status; and their mission to contribute positively to the local economy and to enrich the community’s quality of life.
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