(Greensboro, NC) December 19, 2014 – Boutique investment banking firm Wharton Gladden & Company held its Annual Christmas Party and Toy Drive at the Piedmont Club, collecting over 200 toys for triad families.

Clients and friends of the firm gathered for the festivities that included a silent auction benefiting the Power of One Fund. Wharton Gladden established the fund in 2009 to support local organizations that work in the areas of education, entrepreneurship and empowerment.

The evening began with a heartfelt tribute from Managing Director Algenon Cash as he explained how the idea for the Power of One Fund was sparked in his grandparents’ kitchen in East Winston-Salem. “We didn’t have a lot but I would come home and find my grandmother feeding the homeless person from around the corner.”  Cash described a monumental moment in his childhood when his young mother attempted to explain why Santa would not be bringing him gifts that year. “She said she couldn’t afford to pay him, but at seven-years-old I couldn’t wrap my mind around that.” After his family stepped in to save Christmas, Cash embraced a valuable lesson about the spirit of giving. “As we enjoy the view from the nineteenth floor of the Piedmont Club, know that there are families out there having this same conversation with their children.”

Wharton Gladden once again has partnered with The Salvation Army and over time the firm has collected toys for over 400 area children. The Salvation Army partners with the organization to distribute toys across the region.

Skip Brown, board chairman, and Senior Director Ray Crouse are new to Wharton Gladden. They both expressed an interest in expanding the fund in order to reach more families. Brown explained, “The Power of One Fund is the perfect opportunity for businesses to celebrate faith, family and the spirit of giving.”

Wharton Gladden views the event as a growing networking opportunity for businesses and community leaders. Kirby Wilson, associate director of The Power of One Fund said, “This is a win-win for business leaders. They can give back to the community, network and vote to determine where to make their investment.”

Tom Ingram, director of Facilities Planning and Construction for Wake Forrest Baptist Hospital, has attended the event for the past few years. “I couldn’t think of a better venue than what Wharton Gladden has scheduled. It’s an opportunity for similar-minded people to network and share the cheer.”

Cash insisted that investments, no matter how small, can make a difference. “You don’t have to be able to write a big check,” he explained. “In our business we talk a lot about ‘capital’ but if people from different backgrounds can’t come together in a room, you can’t have social capital. You can’t have community.”

About Wharton Gladden & Company:

Wharton Gladden & Company is a uniquely designed boutique investment banking firm that specializes in providing strategic advisory services, underwriting, capital placement and private equity for a diversified client base that includes corporations, real estate developers, financial institutions, investors, municipalities and high net worth individuals.