From left, David M. Taube, Jeffrey Jackson and Gregory Varnum

The Comings and Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].

Kudos to David M. Taube, CFA, CFP for receiving the Financial Planner of the Year award from the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter.

Upon receiving the award, Taube, founder and CEO of Kalorama Wealth Strategies, LLC said, “I am honored to receive this award from the National Capital Area chapter of the Financial Planning Association. To be recognized by peers for my professional accomplishments is truly rewarding. There is much more to being a successful financial planner and investment adviser than having technical knowledge. It requires a passion and authenticity to help clients and always put their interests first.”

Some of his passion and understanding came after surviving cancer more than 25 years ago. It was then Taube realized he needed to devote his time and energy to helping people. This insight, combined with a passion for all things financial, eventually led him to establish Kalorama Wealth, a fee-only investment advisory and financial planning firm. Since its inception in 2005, Taube’s mission has been to help professionals, business owners, and their families achieve greater financial security and independence by providing objective advice customized to meet the needs of each client.

In 2012, Kalorama Wealth Strategies, LLC obtained official certification as an LGBT owned and operated business through the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s Supplier Diversity Initiative.

Taube volunteers for D.C.-area LGBT non-profit organizations through Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, including Gay Men’s Chorus, Food and Friends, Mautner Project, Equality Maryland and HRC. He serves on the NGLCC’s Certification Committee, which certifies LGBT owned and operated businesses for its Supplier Diversity Initiative. Taube has appeared in The Washington Post’s “Ask the Experts” column and has written personal finance columns for the Washington Blade.

Since 1999, Taube has been an adjunct professor in the Department of Finance and Real Estate in the Kogod School of Business Administration at American University.

Congratulations are also in order for Jeffrey Jackson, who just announced he has moved to Compass Realty. Jackson has been in the real estate business for more than 20 years after a career at the World Bank.

He goes to Compass with the Capital Estate Group after long stints at Sothebys International Realty and Keller Williams Capital Properties. Capital Estate Group’s mission is to map paths to better lives and better communities through innovative, dynamic real estate services. Compass Realty was launched in 2013. It is a state-of-the-art, technology-driven real estate company that is expanding in D.C., New York City, Miami and Los Angeles. Compass provides comprehensive brokerage services.

Congratulations also to Gregory Varnum, who has landed an exciting new contract to serve as communications strategist for the Wikimedia Foundation communications team. In this role, Varnum will oversee a variety of different areas, including several related to communications with the Wikimedia community (the global community of volunteer editors that contribute to the Wikimedia projects). Having worked with the Wikimedia community extensively in a volunteer capacity, Varnum will now work to develop and hone communications messaging and strategy related to Wikimedia announcements, campaigns and initiatives that impact the Wikimedia community.

According to Samantha Lien who handles communications for the Wikimedia Foundation, “Greg will also be responsible for duties relating to communications outreach projects in support of public policy and advocacy objectives as they relate to the Wikimedia Guiding Principles.  Greg will be coordinating communications efforts related to many of the areas of focus outlined in the Wikimedia public policy portal, including issues related to access, privacy, copyright, and more.”