Richard Barr recently transitioned out of a twenty year career as a social investment advisor with First Affirmative Financial Network.  An Accredited Investment Fiduciary from the University of Pittsburgh, he advised individual clients of all sizes during his time with the organization..

In addition to his First Affirmative responsibilities, he wrote a column on social investment for the Santa Fe New Mexican; advised on-line publishers socialfunds.com on portfolio management; served on the board of the Social Investment Forum; served on the Board of LightHawk, a conservation organization utilizing small aircraft (he became a private pilot), and had his first and only child, Natalie, with his wife Betsy.

Richard observes:  “Having a 20-year career in social investing is no small feat.  Back when I started, the Social Investment Forum members used to meet in living rooms around the country -- when board members could afford to get together”  It was then that First Affirmative Financial Network decided to become a real network by hiring Richard, their first out-of-state representative.  The organization now has more than one hundred professional members nationwide and manages in excess of USD$700 million dollars.

Prior to becoming an investment advisor Richard received two undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a graduate degree from the University of New Mexico.  Eager to apply his education in Environmental Studies, he saw social investing as the perfect right livelihood.  Social investing, then a small niche of the investment industry, was ready – and so was Richard.

We’re pleased that Richard Barr is a now commentator for the Institute.