Jim Casey and Barbara Keller to co-chair 2009 Steve Chase gala
Integrated Wealth Management signs on as Presenting Sponsor

(PALM SPRINGS, CA – March 25, 2008)

Two well-known community leaders have accepted joint responsibility for planning and executing one of the desert cities’ largest annual fundraisers, the 2009 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala, benefiting Desert AIDS Project, on February 21, 2009.

“We’re delighted to have such capable co-chairs as Jim and Barbara on-board for our fifteenth annual fundraising gala,” said David Brinkman, D.A.P. Executive Director. “It will be special for us because 2009 marks the completion of Desert AIDS Project’s twenty-fifth year of service to those with HIV and AIDS. We’re sure that Jim and Barbara will help us get the year off to a great start with our signature fundraising event.”

Jim Casey, president of Integrated Wealth Management, was named Reuter’s Top Financial Advisor in 2007 and manages the 401(k) or planned giving programs for local organizations including Guide Dogs of the Desert, Desert AIDS Project, and the La Quinta Arts Festival, among others. He regularly donates money and time to important organizations such as the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Palm Springs Art Museum, and the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, for which he also serves as a member of their board of directors.

“I have a firm belief in sharing my success with others and helping the communities where I live and work to flourish,” said Casey. “I deeply respect the good work that D.A.P. does for so many. That’s why, in addition to co-chairing the event with Barbara, I’m delighted to also donate $150,000 for Integrated Wealth Management as presenting sponsor of the 2009 Steve Chase gala.”

Barbara Keller is well-known for her tireless support of a myriad of local organizations. Most recently, she served as chair of the Host/Hostess Committee for the Palm Springs Art Museum’s fourteenth annual “Day in the Garden” fundraiser. Known for its out-of-the-box creativity, this event raises funds for the programs and exhibitions of the museum where she has served as a docent for thirteen years and is a trustee, serving on the museum’s Executive Committee. Ms. Keller is also past president of the Museum Associates Council.

She also supports the Anti Defamation League and Jewish Federation among other worthy charities, in addition to serving on the Board of Trustees of the McCallum Theatre. As a member of the Board of Trustees of Jewish Family Services of the Desert, she feels privileged to be honored, along with her friend Harold Matzner, at this year’s “One Night Only” fundraiser. Ms. Keller is the author of three nonfiction books, “Orgasmic Days in the South of France,” a personal guide to the Cote d’Azur where she and her husband had a home for eighteen years, “Film, Tape, and TV: Where Do I Fit In?” and “Telexeze.”

 “My husband, Jerry, and I have been so blessed in our lives and we both feel a strong need to share our good fortune with others,” said Ms. Keller. “This is such a wonderful community, where so many give so freely of their time and financial support. I’m looking forward to helping such a worthy organization as Desert AIDS Project.”

Tim Hanlon, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation and a Steve Chase gala co-chair from 2006-2008, adds his welcome of the leadership of Casey and Keller. “Not only do I know both Jim and Barbara personally but I also have the greatest respect for their civic spirit and the social responsibility they have consistently shown the desert community for years now,” said Hanlon. “Wells Fargo Foundation continues to focus its investment at D.A.P. through supporting world-class HIV medical care in the Wells Fargo HIV Health Center, which is the centerpiece of the organization, for its growing base of 2,300 clients with HIV and AIDS.”

Bill Jones, who co-chaired the Steve Chase gala for three years with Hanlon and continues to be a generous supporter of D.A.P., echoed Hanlon’s approval of Casey and Keller. “Passing the baton to such able and hard-working people as Jim and Barbara makes me feel that the Steve Chase event will be an unqualified success and bring even greater attention to the good work D.A.P. continues to do for its clients as it enters its twenty-fifth year.”

Desert AIDS Project is the organization in our community where people living with HIV and AIDS can receive comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services. D.A.P. also offers confidential HIV testing at a number of locations and widespread education and prevention services for schools, civic organizations, businesses, churches, and health organizations throughout the communities it serves. For more information, call 760-323-2118.