Meet Brian Babb, a homegrown entrepreneur who is taking a leading role in helping our community respond to coronavirus. He is president of The Coeur Group, a unique volunteer organization, and founder of White Pine Wealth, a local investment management firm.

Generation:

It has been in style to discredit millennials as lazy and entitled, a description likely well earned. I hope, though, that Kootenai County would be pleased to know that our organization, The Coeur Group, is comprised exclusively of this generation and makes a significant sacrifice to help our community. Coeur Group members reported more than 2,500 hours of service work in our area in 2019 alone.

Career and community involvement:

After working at large financial institutions, I came to the conclusion that investment clients are better served by an independent adviser. So I opened the doors at White Pine Wealth nine years ago. As an independent firm, our team is free from conflicts of interest. We specialize in helping retired individuals and couples manage their money prudently. Recently, we have been working diligently to assess how coronavirus-related market activity impacts our retired clients’ spending plans and the longevity of their savings.

My time serving the community as a member of The Coeur Group has been tremendously rewarding. In normal times, we focus our energy on making a positive impact on students that are most in need in Kootenai County. But recently we’ve also established a Coronavirus Task Force that has a hotline for seniors to request errands on their behalf. Our most common requests have been trips to the grocery store but we’ve also helped folks obtain pet medication, retrieve their mail and more. Our objective is to ensure that they can stay home and stay safe.

Parental status:

Marty and Lincoln are currently attending Jodi Babb’s Institute for the Quarantined. When they’re not on stay-at-home orders, they love their school, Twin Lakes Elementary, raising their hogs for the fair each year and participating in any sport possible.

1. What do you find most fulfilling about your career as a financial adviser?

Getting ready to cash your very last paycheck and transition to retirement is emotional and can be very difficult. We relish the opportunity to work with those folks and help them feel comfortable that they are going to thrive in this part of their life. Our job is most fulfilling when we can turn retirement from a source of anxiety into a celebration.

2. What are a few things you enjoy most about your work with The Coeur Group?

As a group, our two objectives are to make a positive contribution to our community and build relationships among our members. The ongoing work of our Coronavirus Task Force is helping seniors stay safe. And I’ve personally made friendships that have become tremendously valuable to me thanks to the work we are all doing together.

3. Why do you feel it’s important for people to care about each other and their community, especially amid a global pandemic?

This is a rare opportunity for our community leaders and nonprofits to step up and do their best work. Anecdotally, I have observed that they are doing just that. Kootenai Health, the school districts, Kroc Center and our local supportive organizations have rallied selflessly to help our at-risk populations. The Coeur Group applauds their efforts.

4. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

As a third-grader at Ramsey Elementary, I took second place in the state Invention Convention. People would be surprised because I’m really not very handy. There was an assembly in my honor and everything.

5. How would you encourage people in our area to help others as we face this unprecedented time?

As a community leader I have had the privilege to be included on collaborative conference calls among local organizations doing great things on the fly. Consider a monetary donation to the Coeur d’Alene COVID-19 Relief Fund, the Kroc Center or The Coeur Group! All three are actively making a difference for those impacted and I have personally witnessed the passion and sincerity with which they’re working. Donate – www.thecoeurgroup.com. Need an errand? Hotline – 208-352-3140.