By PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Franklin Square Capital Partners, a leading manager of alternative investment funds, proudly announced that Gary Laughlin, a sales associate who recently joined the firm, was honored for his outstanding military service at Saturday's Philadelphia Eagles game.
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Mr. Laughlin came to Franklin Square through his affiliation with Wall Street Warfighters Foundation (WSWF), a non-profit organization that recruits, trains and places service-disabled veterans in the financial services industry. Franklin Square actively supports the organization and identified and recruited Mr. Laughlin through the program.
"We're extremely pleased to have Gary at Franklin Square and are fortunate to benefit from the leadership skills and work ethic he developed in the Marines," said Michael C. Forman, CEO of Franklin Square Capital Partners. "We are proud to partner with the Wall Street Warfighters, who do an extraordinary job assisting veterans who have done so much for all of us and our country."
For heroic service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. Laughlin, 30, was awarded numerous medals acknowledging his professional achievement and life-saving actions. He joined the Marines shortly after September 11, 2001, and later earned the title of Infantry Marine Officer. Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he commanded the Jolan Joint Security Station in Fallujah where he was responsible for leading his platoon in combat and conducting raids and IED sweeps. After returning from Fallujah, Mr. Laughlin volunteered to go back to Iraq as a member of a prestigious embedded Combat Advisor Team, fighting side by side with the Iraqi Army while mentoring Iraqi leadership.
In 2013, after nearly five years of rehabilitation and numerous surgeries, Mr. Laughlin was medically retired due to a traumatic injury sustained during combat operations in Iraq. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Laughlin read about WSWF in The Wall Street Journal and joined the organization where he received financial services career advice, skills and exposure. It was through the foundation that Mr. Laughlin learned about Franklin Square.
Mr. Laughlin expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to join Franklin Square once he realized that he would need to return to civilian life.
"I would have committed the rest of my career to the Marines and was very disappointed when my physical condition prevented me from continuing my service," explained Mr. Laughlin. "But I am very grateful to have been introduced to Wall Street Warfighters and to pursue my new career at Franklin Square."
A WSWF founder emphasized that service-disabled veterans like Mr. Laughlin represent a viable source of employment for financial services firms.
"It's gratifying to help a dedicated serviceman like Gary Laughlin embark on a new career with a rapidly growing firm like Franklin Square," commented Harry J. Gobora, III, a Founder and Secretary of the Board of Wall Street Warfighters. Mr. Gobora currently serves in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as Secretary of the General Staff for the 28(th) Infantry Division and participated in the flag presentation at the Philadelphia Eagles game.
Gobora concluded, "With more than 120 participants and graduates so far, our program at Wall Street Warfighters is gaining great momentum in the industry. True heroes like Gary help tell our story and pave the way for future success stories."
About Franklin Square
Franklin Square is a leading manager of alternative investment funds designed to enhance investors' portfolios by providing access to asset classes, strategies and asset managers that typically have been available to only the largest institutional investors. The firm's funds offer "endowment-style" investment strategies that help construct diversified portfolios and manage risk. Franklin Square strives not only to maximize investment returns but also to set the industry standard for best practices by focusing on transparency, investor protection and education for investment professionals and their clients.
Founded in Philadelphia in 2007, Franklin Square quickly established itself as a leader in the world of alternative investments by introducing innovative credit-based income funds, including the industry's first non-traded BDC. The firm currently manages three funds with over $9 billion* in assets. Forbes Magazine ranked Franklin Square 13(th) on its 2013 list of America's Most Promising Companies. Franklin Square distributes its funds through its affiliated broker-dealer, FS(2) Capital Partners, LLC. For more information, please visit www.franklinsquare.com.
* Assets under management as of September 30, 2013.
About Wall Street Warfighters Foundation
The Wall Street Warfighters Foundation (WSWF) is a non-profit organization that grew from the idea that, given the opportunity, service-disabled veterans will excel in a work environment where integrity and moral courage are valued, and where their physical challenges are simply not a factor. The Foundation partners with firms on Wall Street and Main Street to offer opportunities at all levels in the financial services industry. WSWF was created in late 2008 by principals of Drexel Hamilton, LLC, an institutional broker-dealer in Philadelphia that was founded on the principle of offering meaningful employment opportunities to disabled veterans desiring a career in financial services. Retired Marine General Peter Pace, the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serves as Chairman of the Board. In December 2008, the first Wall Street Warfighters class began with two students. Today, with more than 120 participants and graduates, WSWF continues to gain momentum with each class of veterans it recruits, trains and places in the financial services industry. For more information, visit www.wallstreetwarfighters.org.
CONTACT:
Dana Taormina
JCPR
973-850-7305
dtaormina@jcprinc.com
SOURCE Franklin Square Capital Partners
