Schwab employees follow their hearts

When it comes to supporting the community, Schwab follows its employees’ leads. “We don’t tell people, ‘Here’s the cause we want you to support.’ Instead we want to lean into causes employees are excited about and then help them make it happen,” says Kristine Dixon, head of Schwab Community Affairs.

There’s maybe nothing that embodies this approach more than Schwab’s support of the American Heart Association (AHA), particularly participation in local Heart Walks—non-competitive fundraising events to fight heart disease and stroke. Nearly 20 years ago, a group of Schwab employees in San Francisco decided to support this important cause by walking down the world-renowned Embarcadero with their colleagues for the San Francisco Heart Walk. And it snowballed from there.

Josephine Magoncelli, a Schwab Administrative Assistant who has organized activities for Schwab’s involvement in the San Francisco Heart Walk for the last ten years, recalls how participation has grown. She’s seen friendly competitions among different floors and departments, raffles, and morning-of breakfasts to encourage participation, until it’s become what she describes as “the event of the year.” 

“It’s a sea of blue,” says Josephine of the Schwab team walking down the Embarcadero in their blue volunteer t-shirts. She estimates that at its peak Schwab has had about 700 employees walking at the event.

As Schwab’s employee footprint across the country has spread, so has the company’s participation in Heart Walks. In 2022, Schwab hosted a Heart Walk on their Lone Tree campus, located just outside of Denver. And by the next year, the event really blew up.

“I know a lot of people here, but there were so many people, I’ve never seen in my life,” says Lone Tree employee Vincenza Lau of the 2023 walk. “This event is a big draw to meet new people.”

And while it’s a fun social event, the Heart Walk and the AHA’s cause is also personal for many. Deborah D’Ottavio, also based out of Lone Tree, shared that about five years ago a beloved Schwab leader passed away from heart failure after a cardiac event on campus. Since then many local employees have taken part in the Heart Walk, and Schwab has consistently been a corporate fundraising leader in the state of Colorado.

As Schwab expanded to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the passion for the Heart Walk followed. Schwab is now a sponsor of the Tarrant County (Texas) Heart Walk where this year over 75 Schwab employees walked at the event. Melissa Witbeck, a Schwab employee and AHA Board Member, kicked off the event, by sharing her passion for the cause.

“The American Heart Association has an incredible impact on our community,” she explains. “Their relentless dedication to heart health not only raises awareness but also saves lives. Together, Schwab and our community, are taking steps towards a healthier future, and I’m proud to stand alongside Schwab employees in this vital mission.”

According to recent AHA data, on average, every 34 seconds someone dies of cardiovascular disease in the United States. With statistics like that, it’s almost impossible not to know someone impacted by heart disease. But it doesn’t always take a near death experience for the lessons of the AHA to hit home. When Rama Bokka, a Schwab technology leader based out of San Francisco, was asked to become a Heart Walk coach, he went to the AHA training and had an epiphany.

“I never had anyone in my family that had any heart issues, and I was doing okay. I didn’t have diabetes or any heart problems, but I was struggling with some weight gain, and I was not as fit as I wanted to be,” says Rama. “But I learned from AHA that our health is within our control. Heart disease and diabetes are lifestyle diseases. So, I educated myself and because of the American Heart Association I completely changed my lifestyle.”

Since that training, Rama has become mostly vegan in addition to making other lifestyle changes. And he’s seen his health improve dramatically. He has also become the executive sponsor of the Schwab San Francisco Heart Walk and kicks off every walk with his story about how he took control of his health.

“I'm doing something other than work to give back to society which is a great feeling,” he says.

As employees continue to express an interest in and a passion for supporting the AHA, Schwab’s presence as a sponsor of Heart Walks across the country grows. In 2024 the company sponsored the Phoenix and Omaha Heart Walks for the first time, and continued corporate sponsorship of Heart Walks in San Francisco, Denver and Dallas/Fort Worth. Plus, employees in other Schwab locations across the country formed their own Schwab teams and walking together. It’s a way for employees to connect with colleagues and also invite their friends, families and pets to join the Schwab community and walk together for an important cause.

So, something that was born out of the passion of just a few in San Francisco, continues to grow and thrive. “Schwab’s support of the Heart Walk really started from something that was very grass roots,” says Kristine. “But it’s grown because employee enthusiasm has grown. And the beauty of it is that it serves so many purposes. It allows employees to get together and connect and enjoy being outside, and it also supports a really important health cause that affects so many people. Everyone wins in so many ways.”