William J. Stewart Receives 2013 Pinnacle Award

Pictured left to right:  Ralph L. Evans, Partner, Stewart, Evans, Stewart & Emmons PA; J. Vincent Boyle, CPA & Partner, Morgan Jacoby Thurn Boyle & Associates, PA (2012 Pinnacle Award Recipient);  William J. Stewart, Jr., J.D., Attorney at Law/Partner, Stewart, Evans, Stewart & Emmons PA; Jan Donlan, President, Indian River Medical Center Foundation; and Richard H. Johnson, J.D., CFRE, Event Chairman.

   The purpose of the Pinnacle Award is to honor an active, retired or deceased professional advisor (attorney, CPA, trust officer, CLU, CFP or other estate planning advisor) for outstanding voluntary service to Indian River County non-profit organizations in promoting charitable giving through estate and gift planning.  The Pinnacle Award is presented by the Indian River Estate Planning Council (IREPC) and the Planned Giving Council of Indian River (PGCIR).  

    Bill Stewart's personal legacy to numerous charitable organizations in this community is the generous gift of his time over the past 40 years to help strengthen and make them viable charities, so they are well-positioned to solicit and manage plannd gifts from their donors.

   An example of how Bill has helped donors achieve their philanthropic goals is the Post Chapel, which was funded in 1998 by Helen and Dick Post.  This iconic addition to the IRMC campus occurred with Bill's legal assistance in structuring the gift agreement and subsequent endowment, along with a planned gift, that ensures the chapel's perpetual maintenance in pristine fashion.

   Bill has been in professional practice as an attorney in Indian River County for over 30 years and is well-respected by his clients and his peers.  He has helped promote charitable giving through estate planning with his clients and through volunteer service on nonprofit boards and committees of a number of local charities, including the Indian River Medical Center Foundation, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, VNA & Hospice Foundation, The Mardy Fish Foundation, American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Club, St. Edward's Upper School and The United Way of Indian River County.

Six elected to Environmental Learning Center Board of Trustees

The Environmental Learning Center recently elected six community leaders to its Board of Trustees. Those elected include: William J. Stewart, president of the law firm Stewart, Evans, Stewart & Emmons, P.A., Kevin M. Barry, partner in the law firm of Rossway Moore Taylor & Swan; Brian Curley, real estate developer; Josie Lieberman, elementary school teacher (retired); ; David S. Van Pelt, executive vice president of Citibank N.A. (retired); and Chip Watson, English teacher at Saint Edward’s School.

The Environmental Learning Center is a nature center located north of Vero Beach off County Road 510 at the western end of the Wabasso Bridge. Its 64-acre island campus is open for exploration Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to noon, and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults with children under 12 and ELC members' admission is free. The first Saturday of every month is free admission to all.

The campus includes a Discovery Station with aquariums, marine touch tank, and exhibits, native plant gardens, self-guided audio tour, picnic facilities, gift shop, and visitor center. ELC is a nonprofit organization funded by private donations. Membership benefits and a schedule of ecology adventures may be found at http://www.DiscoverELC.org or call 772-589-5050.

Board Retools Lawyer Referral Service Committee Responsibilities

Reprinted from The Florida Bar News, June 15, 2012

The Board of Governors has approved a revamping of the Bar’s Lawyer Referral Services Committee and also set guidelines for board members when they act as liaisons to various Bar sections and committees.

At its May meeting, the board approved recommendations on both issues made by the Program Evaluation Committee.

 PEC Chair-elect John Stewart said the LRS Committee had recently found little work to do because much of the referral service work around the state has been taken over by local bar associations. Consequently, the committee hasn’t met since the fall of 2010.

The PEC, he said, made two recommendations. The first is that the main purpose  e committee be changed from assisting voluntary bar referral services to overseeing Bar members when they participate in private, for-profit referral services. Stewart noted that the Special Committee on Lawyer Referral Services will soon be making recommendations to the board which tentatively will include more Bar oversight in that area.

The second recommendation was to switch the LRS Committee’s charge to assist with public education and marketing programs for the voluntary bar referral services to the Bar’s Voluntary Bar Liaison Committee.

The Bar board approved both recommendations.

On liaison activities, Stewart noted that issue arose from discussion about an ex officio membership on the board for government lawyers and related concerns about ties between the board and various Bar organizations.

The PEC made six recommendations, all approved by the board:

• Define the role for board members who are liaisons to sections and committees and set general guidelines for them.

• Include in board member orientation information about the importance of liaison activities.

• Have the Bar president address the board about the importance of liaison duties.

• Assign the Bar staff to review liaisons to Bar committees and reduce the number that need a liaison.

• Consider having a Board of Governors meeting in conjunction with the Annual Convention or Midyear Meeting to encourage attendance by section and committee members.

• Invite section chairs (who now make annual verbal or written reports to the board) or their representatives to attend Board of Governors meetings and provide them with agenda and meeting materials.

During her comments to the board later in the meeting, President-elect Gwynne Young stressed the importance of board members’ liaison activities.

“I can’t tell you how critical this liaison role is, the importance of communicating with our sections, being actively involved with the section you are liaison to,” she said. “Accurately bringing concerns back from the sections and committees to the board and vice versa is critically important.

“Let’s be active eyes and ears for this board in working as liaisons to the sections and committees. I really do view this as a critical role. I found my work as a liaison to sections and committees was extremely important to me.”

Stewart said the PEC is continuing its review of the Young Lawyer Division’s SCOPE (Seek Counsel of Professional Experience) program and the proposed Random Acts of Professionalism program, which has been referred to the Standing Committee on Professionalism for its input.

Community Support: The Children's Home Society

As published on TCpalm.com

Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) Treasure Coast Division recently received a unique and distinctive gift from Virginia Marion of Bristol, R.I., for the Youth Transition Center Capital Campaign.

 Marion and her late husband built a home in an upscale northeast Vero Beach community a few years ago, and when she decided to sell the home, her daughter, Meredith Hughes, contacted John M. Stewart, Esq., of the local law firm Stewart, Evans, Stewart and Emmons, to handle legal issues related to the sale and for information regarding local charities that might benefit from the proceeds. Stewart recommended CHS based upon the firm’s involvement with and commitment to CHS, which includes firm attorney, Rebecca Emmons, Esq.’s service on the Board of Directors.With the assistance of Matilde Sorensen of Dale Sorensen Real Estate, the law firm was able to arrange the sale of the property. Emmons and Sorensen increased the value of the $146,000-plus house donation by giving professional legal services and commissions on the sale.

 The Youth Transition Center Capital Campaign began in January 2008 and has the goal of raising $5 million. In 2009, CHS was awarded a Challenge Grant from The Kresge Foundation, which will endow CHS with the final $500,000, when $4.5 million is raised by CHS. The deadline for the Challenge Grant is June 30. To date, with the help of Marion and many other local donors, the Youth Transition Center Capital Campaign has raised almost $4.5 million. Last year, CHS of Florida helped to improve the lives of more than 9,000 children, youth and families in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties through prevention and intervention programs.

United Way of IRC Honors Local Leaders

Business, government, non-profit and community leaders gather en mass every year to recognize contributions made on behalf of United Way agencies, and this year’s capacity crowd proved no exception.  The 17th Annual United Way Community Leaders Breakfast, held at Oak Harbor and sponsored by Seacoast National Bank, honors local companies, volunteers and United Way agencies with the Spirit of Indian River County, Richardson and Agency Excellence Awards. Following opening remarks by retired Seacoast executive Bill Curtis and United Way CEO Michael Kint, the current United Way board chair Michael Kmetz, senior director at O’Haire, Kmetz, Nuttall, Elwell & Co., introduced the audience to Pat O’Connor, the event’s keynote speaker.  Mr. O’Connor, president and CEO of Minor League Baseball, spoke of the MiLB plans to keep baseball in Vero Beach while continuing to honor and preserve the legacy of Historic Dodgertown.   The keynote address was followed by the Spirit of Indian River County Awards program.  Mr. Kmetz was joined by  Jim Davis, vice president and general manager, Vero Beach Broadcasters, LLC in presenting the awards. 2009 Award Winners: Richardson “Espirit de Vie” Award, for excellence in volunteerism – BNY Mellon Wealth Management Group Richardson Essence Award, for excellence in community contributions – Harris, Cotherman, Jones, Price & Associates Richardson Enterprise Award, for excellence in a companywide United Way employee campaign – Construction Data Company Special Recognition Award – Stewart Evans Stewart & Emmons 2009 United Way Community Leaders Breakfast By Mary Schenkel Veronews.com