Green Spotlight: Cascade Financial Strategies

Last week, we met with Jack Schniepp and Neal Richards at Cascade Financial Strategies. This duo is located in an office near the Old Mill, and extends financial planning and investment management services to all of Central Oregon. CFS occupies a unique niche in our community – one that not only sets them apart from other financial planners, but also lands them in our Green Spot Directory!

If you’re unfamiliar with Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), here’s a quick breakdown. SRI is an investment strategy that analyzes investments on their social merits in addition to their return and economic merits. CFS is the only firm in Central Oregon that is a member of the US/SIF, The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. This means they’re able to help clients choose investments that align with their values – whether that’s around company ethics, environmental issues, human rights, or more. During our discussion, Jack emphasized that this type of strategy can generate long-term financial returns AND positive societal impact. In today’s world, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other; it can be a true win-win.

Over the course of his career, Jack said that he’s seen an increased interest in SRI throughout our community, which is reflective of what’s happening on a national and even international scale. To share what they’ve learned, Jack and Neal maintain a really great resource in the form of a blog at SRIbend.com, which shares educational information on this investment strategy.

The story of Jack’s approach to investment management is a really great one. His children, teenagers at the time, really enjoyed chocolate bars. Eventually the topic of fair trade and non-fair trade practices was brought up, specifically around chocolate brands and where the cocoa came from. Jack found himself under scrutiny from his kids in regards to which companies he engaged with on behalf of his clients. So he began researching SRI to see if this made sense for his clients – and for the world, too. This sparked a new interest and passion, and it didn’t take long for Jack to become an expert on what is now called ‘impact investing.’ In 2013, Jack left Wells Fargo to work independently and start CFS.

I had a lot of fun chatting with Jack and Neal, and it was apparent they both value a sustainable lifestyle and a healthy community. I was excited to learn that Jack commutes to work via bicycle, and Neal gets around (and transports his kids) via a pretty impressive electric scooter. Check this thing out!

If you’re interested in learning more about this local Green Spot, and about SRI, Jack will be holding a seminar here at The Environmental Center on Thursday, November 16th @ 4pm. (RSVP here) During the workshop, Jack will walk attendees through an impact assessment. This tool can tell you how well your current portfolio matches your own personal values, and which companies or investments you own that don’t line up with SRI guidelines. If you’d like to check this out for yourself in advance, you can also sign up for an impact assessment on the CFS website.

Stay tuned for more Green Spot blogs, where we’ll highlight sustainable, local businesses in our community.