Vanderbilt Financial Group introduces new Impact Investing Think Tank, Impact U, at Annual Sales and Compliance Meeting

WOODBURY, NY--(Marketwired - October 26, 2016) - Vanderbilt Financial Group will host their Annual Sales and Compliance Meeting on Thursday October 27^th, and launch their newest project, Impact U. Impact U will house original content, in the form of interviews, videos, e-books, and podcasts with Impact Experts and Enthusiasts on a communal platform to spread the impact investing movement. "We're so excited to finally share Impact U with the public. We realized over a year ago that Impact Investing is not as easy to define or as accessible to learn, as it should be. Impact U makes it easy to find everything an advisor, investor, or student needs to know about the space, all in one spot," says Chief Creative Officer, Jenny Klaum. The goal of this educational platform is to inspire and inform through collaboration and shared experiences, hoping to further the movement because they believe that "impact together is bigger and better."

To gain access to Impact U, simply go to www.impactu.me and enroll as a student, investor, or advisor. This will ensure that you receive content most appropriate to you each time you sign on. By enrolling, you become a member of the community and can consume the content at your own pace, free of charge. Impact U also has a partnership with the Montreal based, Concordia University's Sustainable Investment Professional Certification or SIP, the only Impact Investing Certification currently available. Impact U Students gain discounted access to the full curriculum and certification. "I am excited about our partnership with Impact U because it will help us communicate to a wider audience the critical message that investors can no longer afford to ignore environmental, social and governance risks," says Lecturer Amr Addas.

In addition to the Impact U launch, the over 120 Vanderbilt Financial Advisors and staff will congregate at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury to discuss compliance, the ever-changing financial industry, and their future. This year's theme is "Business Building Summit" where all sessions will be focused towards building a successful and sustainable practice through various strategies, tips, and tools.

Vanderbilt will spotlight presentations on critical industry issues like the DOL fiduciary rule, cyber security, and practical succession planning. Chief Compliance Officer, Barry Champney says, "We have financial advisors all over the country, so it's always important to discuss the year's pressing topics together, in one room, at our annual meeting." Lisa Roth, President of Monohan & Roth, LLC and FINRA arbitrator will give the Keynote presentation on the DOL fiduciary rule and importance of cyber security.

After their conference, Vanderbilt will also be sponsoring the Financial Planning Association of Long Island's 17^th Annual Symposium the subsequent day. As a sponsor, Vanderbilt brings Impact Investing to a general session with a strong panel from Impact Experts from all different sectors of the Industry. CEO Steve Distante will moderate Impact Experts, Jim Lumberg, Co-Founder and Executive VP of Envestnet; Jon Hale, Head of Sustainability Research at Morningstar; Amr Addas, Lecturer at Concordia University's Sustainable Investment Professional Certification program; and Katherine St. Onge, Senior Officer at Calvert.

Vanderbilt CEO and Impact U Chief Disruption Officer Steve Distante says, "We want people to wake up to this very important investment strategy and philosophy of Impact or Sustainable Investing. There is so much confusion in the industry -- this is not philanthropy, this is not a gimmick, this is a movement and deserves to be treated as such. It is important to realize that this philosophy is especially appealing to women and millennial investors. Advisors who are looking to be prepared the future of their practices and capable of serving the next generation need to pay attention and embrace Impact! ImpactU.me is a collaboration with Impact thought-leaders and investment providers to share knowledge, strategy and enthusiasm."

About Vanderbilt Financial Group: Founded in 1965 and located in Woodbury, NY, Vanderbilt Financial Group is an Independent Broker Dealer known as the Sustainable Broker Dealer committed to investing with purpose. The firm offers Impact Investments in socially and/or environmentally responsible, ethical, and impactful opportunities. In 2014 the firm was recognized with the MAP Vital Factors Solutions® Presidential Award for achieving excellence through implementing the MAP Management System™ and in 2015 became the first LEED Platinum office building on Long Island. Vanderbilt's refreshing, unique, and innovative culture is a driving force to constantly strive to positively impact their community. To learn more, check out http://joinvanderbilt.com/.

About Impact U: Impact U is an online collaborative community dedicated to teaching students, investors, and financial advisors about Impact Investing. Our think tank is made up of interviews and original content from Impact Experts and Enthusiasts with the goal of furthering the Impact movement because we believe that impact together is bigger and better. To learn more about Impact U, go to www.impactu.me.