LEGACY STORY

Steve Laraway

Foundation:

Central Minnesota Community Foundation

Award:

2012 Professional Award in Philanthropy

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Growing up in New Ulm, Steve Laraway started his first business—Steve’s Lawn Service. It was there he first experienced the joys of working with clients and the opportunity to help people work through issues. Today, he’s a trusted investment advisor and leads a team of professionals as owner of Laraway Financial Advisors in St. Cloud.

Steve believes that a component of doing a good job as a professional advisor is discussing philanthropy with clients. And he does that again and again. That support, while often not recognized, is critical to fostering philanthropy in a community. It can both endorse the gifts of the already charitably inclined and can inspire gifts from those more uncertain.

For that commitment, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation recognized Steve with the 2012 Professional Award in Philanthropy. Steve leads by example by donating both dollars and time to causes in this community. He has been an active volunteer with a variety of nonprofits including serving as girls basketball coach at Cathedral High School and later on the St. Cloud City Council.

“He is very generous of heart,” said Jim Potter, a client and retired executive vice president at Blattner energy. “He cares a great deal about the community he lives in.”