Employee Stories: Meet Brian Howell

Name:  Brian Howell

Position:  Director, Charitable Consulting

Location:  Broomfield, Colorado

Education:  BS, Business Management, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Hobbies:  Volunteering, riding his motorcycle, hanging out with his kids and cats 

Personal Philanthropic Mission Statement:  “Leave the world a better place by serving those that need help, setting a positive example for my family to follow, and continue our legacy to be kind and assist others no matter the respective paths we follow.”
 

From joining the U.S. Army straight out of high school to flourishing as Director of Charitable Consulting at DAFgiving360^TM, Brian Howell has excelled at leadership along each step of his career. However, leadership for him hasn’t been about authority or titles but rather serving alongside others to make a positive difference. 

Brian has approached many of his life experiences with a mindset of service, including making the most of every opportunity, such as his role at DAFgiving360. “It’s a company that does what's right,” he says. “It makes you proud to wake up each day to be a part of it.”

Bloom where you’re planted

Born in the small town of Falls City, Nebraska, Brian’s family moved to Colorado when he was five. Since then, he’s continued to call the Centennial State his home, except for a season of service in the military at the tail end of the Cold War from 1989 to 1991.

At a time when the world was in the midst of a dramatic shift, Brian originally joined the Army because of the GI Bill and a bonus to fund his future college education. One of the most significant advantages, however, turned out to be “a good foundation and grounding” for a rewarding personal and professional life.

Stationed primarily in Fort Ord, California, with a stint in Panama, Brian recalls his gravitation toward military service. “I just wanted to grow up, get fit, and see the world—some of which came to fruition, and some of which you realize you had clouded judgment about when you made your decision to join.”

Despite the highs and lows, Brian wrapped up his service as a corporal in the Army’s 7th Infantry Division and says he would do it all over again. 

“It was a great experience. I was proud and grateful to get an opportunity to serve my country,” he reflects.

While his role in the military focused on artillery, Brian quickly transitioned back to civilian life and dove into university classes in business. 

“Right after I went into the military, I started thinking about school and what I wanted to do,” Brian recalls. “I wanted to be a people leader. My father was always a leader of people in business, and I didn't know specifically what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to be in business.”

As a result of his clear-cut goal and the GI Bill, Brian pursued business management back home at Metropolitan State College of Denver and received a “degree right out of the gate.”

Upon graduating from college, Brian came to Schwab, where some of his family members, including his dad and brother, also worked at the time. 

Building a career in service

Brian jumpstarted his initial career in customer service, and knew he wanted to translate his business degree and skills from the Army to a people leadership track. 

He soon earned his Series 7 and 63 licenses, and shortly after, his Series 8, which provided a launching pad to not only work in the securities profession, but also for his desire to lead teams. 

This came to fruition, as “eventually I was able to manage a team of investment representatives,” Brian explains.  

While building a team, Brian also concurrently led many of Schwab’s volunteer efforts as a “Community Ambassador” and was actively involved with multiple community nonprofits, including Easter Seals Colorado, which serves children and adults with disabilities. 

After conversing with a colleague who shared a similar passion in supporting charities, Brian realized clients often didn’t have the opportunity to hear about how a donor-advised fund (DAF) account could potentially increase the power of their charitable giving. 

He recalls, “There were billions of dollars under management even at that time, and discussing DAFs just wasn’t something that was prevalent in the conversations with our portfolio management.”

This soon changed, however, as he started presenting to employees about DAFs, “recognizing there was a need for us to have more of an impact.” 

Around the same time, Brian became aware of an open director position at DAFgiving360, which involved leading Charitable Consultants who help donors with their philanthropic goals. 

Twenty years into his career, Brian decided to connect the dots even more clearly between his heart for service and people leadership by making the leap over to DAFgiving360. 

Multiplying impact

“I was really happy where I was in my career, but realized I can take all of my background and impact I was making and multiply it on the philanthropic side,” Brian explains.

“Volunteerism and philanthropy made up who I was.” He continues, “This is a common theme at DAFgiving360—you find people who are able to bring their personal passions and tie it into the work we do.”

Ten years later, Brian still works at DAFgiving360 and now chairs the board of Easter Seals Colorado. 

“Volunteering in this capacity helps me to build my network and be more impactful in my current role as director of Charitable Consulting,” he says. “In my particular group, we have clients that are similar to business-to-business clients. We're in the business of really creating awareness around the donor-advised funds and creating education.” 

This education is often delivered through one-on-one meetings, presentations, and educational seminars. Brian and his team also get called into in-depth conversations with clients who want to be more strategic and effective in their giving. 

Ultimately, his team serves as consultants to better support donors in understanding the myriad ways they can give. 

Life in the fast lane

While serving as a DAF ambassador during his working hours, Brian also enjoys time with his family and harnesses his favorite hobby to give back to the nonprofits they support.

He just celebrated his 30th anniversary with his wife, Dana. They have two grown children, Dawson and Lauren, who have now embarked on their own fulfilling careers. 

Brian’s biggest hobby is riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and he’s often accompanied by his dad, brother, and uncles who also ride. “I've been a motorcycle guy for most of my life,” he says. 

Even Brian’s hobby intertwines with his volunteerism. His dad started a motorcycle group over 30 years ago that he joined and fundraises for an Easter Seals camp in the Rocky Mountains.  

About his family, Brian explains, “We’re very tight knit. We spend a lot of time together, especially in the summer, raising money for the causes we support.”

Advancing a mission of giving

Although he has his “eye on an eventual retirement date,” Brian isn’t ready to depart DAFgiving360. He hopes to continue working at the organization throughout the rest of his career and still has plenty to accomplish in serving and leading others—now and in the future. 

“It’s a wonderful place to be, and I hope to be a part of the continued changes and growth that we see with donor-advised fund accounts,” he reflects. “We help to increase giving in the United States. That's our mission.”

From serving his country in the military to helping others be more strategic with their philanthropy, Brian has taken his own mission of service seriously.

“Being able to make a positive impact through charitable giving is such a blessing,” he says. “And I get to roll out of bed every day to talk about it with not only donors, but also consultants and advisors to make that kind of difference.”