Canadian Charitable Annuity Association
Harry Houtman is President of Link Charity Canada Inc. He is also a gift planning officer for Christian Blind Mission International.
He introduced the gift annuities to Christian Stewardship Services during his tenure there. Harry has served for many years on the national executive of the Canadian Charitable Annuity Association in its various shapes and forms, including as secretary of the board for many years. He was part of the delegation to the BC Securities Commission.
Harry created Link Charity as a service linking donors with charities to provide planned giving instruments such as self-funded gift annuities, gifts of appreciated securities, family endowments, etc. Under Harry’s guidance Link Charity is becoming a major player in the gift annuity fields.
Harry has done much for those who purchase a gift annuity and for charities who are promoting this vehicle for an income to benefit the organization. He has unselfishly and willingly given of his time, energy and wisdom.
Harry is being recognized for his expertise, positive promotion of the charitable gift annuity and for creative assistance to many donors for their benefit as well as that of charities.
Recommended by:
Art Brooker
Executive Director
In Touch Ministries of Canada
Alan Brereton is the first recipient of the Gordon Nelson Award of the Canadian Charitable Annuity Association.
Alan Brereton is a retired actuary who still does consulting work with Eckler Partners Ltd. Alan is a United Church member who approached the Gift Planning Officer to express his concern about the viability and funding formula securing sufficient financial backing of annuities issued and guarantying future income streams for annuitants. He became a member of the Gift Planning Committee of The United Church of Canada so he could continue to challenge the United Church until their systems covered all of his actuarial concerns.
After he became Chair of the Planned Giving Committee, Canada Revenue Agency changed the requirements for the receipting of Charitable Gift Annuities Dec. 21, 2002. The new system required all charities to use a market value for the prescribed annuity portion of the gift. Charities had to then acquire these market value quotes from CANNEX at extra costs to themselves. When Alan determined that these costs were significant for the Charitable Annuity community, he set about devising a quotation system that all charities could use that eliminated the necessity of using an outside agency. This system has been a blessing to all the charities since they can now quote quickly, easily and at a very low cost. This has been an exceptional contribution to the charitable annuity sector by a professional with a unique grasp of annuity complexities.
Now that the system is up and running to his satisfaction, Alan has turned his attention back to the Insurance industry. He is working with them to develop consistent standards among those who do the actuarial evaluations of those charities issuing charitable gift annuities.
Alan Brereton, as the 2005 recipient of the Gordon Nelson Award, very much exemplifies the characteristics of professionalism and has exhibited a very strong commitment to the charitable annuity community.
Nominated by:
The Gift Planning Committee
The United Church of Canada
The Gordon Nelson Award has been created to honour Gordon Nelson for his great contributions to the field of charitable gift annuities. Gordon Nelson epitomizes not only what a true professional is, but has given above and beyond his calling in serving his community and furthering the interests and mission of the Canadian Charitable Annuity Association (CCAA).
Candidates may be nominated from the membership of the CCAA or may be nominated as recognized professionals who fit the criteria of this award.
When applicable, the "Gordon Nelson Award" will be presented at the Canadian Charitable Annuity Association Annual Meeting which is held in October of each year. All nominations must be received prior to August 1st in the year of the award. Nominations must be submitted to the Chair of the CCAA. Nomination criteria will be posted and promoted on the CCAA website and other appropriate places.
Each nomination must be in writing, must include not only the nominee's name but their professional designation, if any, their business name and address, and particularly a written substantiation of why the nominee is in the nominator's opinion worthy of this distinction and honour. Specific achievements and contributions regarding the nominee's commitment to the profession and the community must be detailed. The nominator must provide all of his/her own contact information; each copy of the nomination document must be an original and signed by the nominator.
In order to be worthy of the "Gordon Nelson Award", the candidate must have demonstrated outstanding contributions to the CCAA. This award will not be necessarily given every year, but rather this is an award that will honour someone in the field who has distinguished themselves both professionally and personally. Recognition of the highest standards of professional conduct will be weighed equally with the individual's commitment to the charitable annuity community.
The recipient will be selected by the CCAA board of directors.