“The best advice I can give to any new volunteer partner is to listen. An engagement with an SVP nonprofit partner should start with gaining a deep understanding of who the organization is and the language that they use,” shared James Kemp. “If you have the right mindset and attitude, you can make a big difference.”
Starting in February 2020, James has brought to bear his vast corporate experience working alongside three of SVP CT’s community partners: Norwalk ACTS, Achieve Hartford and Riba Aspira. “What has been most important in these relationships is our ability to bring a different perspective. To ask new and maybe hard questions that provide a different lens through which to plan and execute for growth within these incredible organizations,” said James.
Prior to retirement, James was a financial markets executive with experience running global teams across multiple products. He worked for global financial institutions and was a founding partner of a systematic FX trading business. James and his wife Susan have, over time, directed their philanthropic efforts to supporting organizations that are working to narrow the opportunity gap.When James retired from the financial services industry he was looking for ways to contribute his time and experience to supporting those efforts and that is how he found his way to SVP CT.
James and Susan are both long time residents of New Canaan and have had the good fortune to raise their two daughters in that community.
