President's Corner | March 2022

Dear Fellow BEPC Members:

Although it is still cold outside and the snowflakes are still flying, there is a sense of spring in the air at the Boston Estate Planning Council.  With the majority of our members reporting as vaccinated, and with continued safety measures in place, at BEPC we excited to be getting back to in-person events in the coming months. The 2022 Boston Estate Planning Gala is going forward in person and, believe it or not, it’s only two months away! On May 4, at 5:30pm, in the ballroom at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, we will gather as a group for the first BEPC Gala since May 2019. We will celebrate the winners of BEPC’s two greatest honors, the Excellence Award and the President’s Award. We will welcome the Council’s newest officer and a new class of Board members.  And we will recognize the BEPC members who have most recently received the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) designation from the National Association of Estate Planning Councils (NAEPC). It will be wonderful to see fellow members and enjoy each other’s company, after such a long time away. We are incredibly excited to begin bringing back in-person events for those who feel able to attend them. At the same time, we recognize that not everyone is comfortable or medically able to attend events in person. Just as we will continue to offer virtual and hybrid regular events, there is a virtual option for the Gala, with several great virtual experiential sessions from which to choose.  For more information and to register, please visit our website.

While we continue to hold great educational and networking events, BEPC is also making progress on its long-term initiatives.  I am excited to announce that, after months of hard work by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, BEPC’s Board recently voted to hire the Kaleidoscope Group, a DE&I consulting firm for a multi-tiered engagement. Founded in 1993, The Kaleidoscope Group is recognized among the top 10 pioneers in the DE&I industry and a leader in the areas of DE&I, cultural change, education and organizational development. Kaleidoscope offers customized strategic solutions to address the specific needs of an organization’s culture and drive sustainable results. BEPC is beginning its work with Kaleidescope immediately, the next step being a kickoff meeting with the DEI Task Force, Executive Committee, and management staff to begin the first phase of the engagement.

The Boston Estate Planning Council remains strong today, due to the amazing loyalty and support of our corporate sponsors and our devoted members, even in the face of the pandemic.  We will continue to evolve as needed, to keep providing exceptional value to our members and the community.  I invite you to reach out to me personally if you have any input or suggestions you would like to offer.  Thank you for your support.

Warm regards,

Steve Carr, President