Josh and Alex and Matthew are already at their morning work when we arrive at the Tarrytown office of Clarfeld Wealth Strategists and Financial Confidantes. Their life skills and job coach drove the neatly dressed men in their twenties from their homes to two hours of employment at the firm that Rob Clarfeld founded 32 years ago.
Two hours of work, four days a week. It”™s a workplace routine that these young adults with autism can handle. It earns them paychecks at a firm that manages nearly $4 billion in assets and in 2012 was ranked by Barron”™s for the fourth consecutive year as the top independent investment advisor in New York City and the Northeast.
“They”™re very exacting,” Rob Clarfeld says in the corner office he shares with Aston, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel that follows the CEO quite regally on his office rounds. ”They check their own work; they”™re very careful.”
Josh and Alex and Matt came to his firm through a program serving about a dozen adults that was started a few years ago by the Foundation for Educating Children with Autism (FECA) and its Devereux Millwood Learning Center. Other Westchester businesses employ autistic adults in the program ”“ a pizzeria needing delivery boxes prepared, an auto dealer, a delicatessen needing shelves stocked, nursing homes and health care facilities ”“ but Clarfeld”™s is the only financial services office in the program.
Clarfeld and his former wife were among eight couples whose experience with autism and autism spectrum disorders in their own families led them to form FECA 19 years ago. Two years later, they were joined by five other couples “who were sort of in the same boat” to open the Devereux learning center for their children, said Phil Orlando, a FECA director from Chappaqua and chief equity strategist at Federated Investors Inc.
“Rob is an amazingly generous individual both with his time and his money,” Orlando told us by phone from his Manhattan office. “He has been someone who has been instrumental; not just from an intellectual standpoint but from a financial standpoint, from the very beginning.
“His company has been very supportive of our effort as well,” he said. “It”™s wonderful to see the culture of philanthropy that Rob has created among the employees at his company.”
Orlando hosts the annual FECA on Fifth Gala at the Hotel Pierre at which Clarfeld and Clarfeld Wealth Strategists were honored last month
Melanie Schaffran, president of FECA and one of its founding parents, at the gala lauded Clarfeld as the “one person who, together with his family of colleagues and co-workers, holds the scepter, if not the crown, to the kingdom of unwavering devotion and support.” Clarfeld provided the money for FECA to hire staff and purchase curriculum in its early days, she recalled. Schaffran praised him for setting “a priceless example” by training and hiring autistic adults at his company.
About two decades ago, “We suspected that our youngest son might be autistic,” Clarfeld says. When the boy”™s parents began exploring services for him, “We were actually shocked at how little was available in terms of active programs.”
His son is now 25. He is not in the workplace program, but shares a common lot with those children with autism who “age out” of institutions such as the Devereux learning center. Before FECA launched its adult day program, “There was really not much for the post-21,” says Clarfeld.
“This was not about him,” the CEO stresses, speaking of his son and the decision to employ young men like him at his highly successful firm. “It comes not from my own personal experience.
“When we first brought these kids in, I wasn”™t sure what kind of fit it would be,” he said. Clarfeld compares it to his purchase of an iPad, that once mysterious and novel high-tech aid that has become an indispensable part of his life and work. The “kids” have been thoroughly integrated into the life and routines of the office.
“We have found many productive uses” for Josh and Alex and Matthew and others who preceded them in the program, he says. They scan documents into the firm”™s computer files. They shred paper documents. Some with computer skills do basic data entry tasks. Matthew likes to clean the tiny office kitchen and deliver packages to employees from the company mailroom when not shredding or scanning.
“Matt”™s one of the employees,” says office manager Marian Falcone. “He”™s one of the guys.”
“What is really interesting,” says Clarfeld, “we get more than we give” in this program. “One mother sent me an incredible email about how she thought her son would never get a paycheck” because of his autism. She framed his first paycheck from Clarfeld Wealth Strategists.
“I”™ve tried to get my employees to frame theirs rather than cash them,” the CEO adds.
This workplace program “puts people in touch with their humanity,” says Clarfeld. “Not everyone is fortunate to have perfect children. It allows us the privilege of making a contribution to someone else”™s life. That”™s an enormous privilege.”
“I would like to figure out how to get other employers to realize how they can benefit their companies” by employing autistic adults “while contributing at the same time. I would love for other companies to realize the tremendous opportunity they have to make a difference in the lives of these young people.”
Jessica Smith, the Devereux coach accompanying Josh and Alex and Matthew to the Clarfeld office, has seen them learn and master their given tasks. “It takes a lot of practice,” she tells us. “It can be done.”
“They can grow up. They can go out and have meaningful lives and do what they love to do.”
Matthew loves to come to work at Clarfeld. On some days his mother drops him off there.
“He”™s like a robot,” Jerry Kreppel, Matt”™s mailroom supervisor, says in praise of his work habits. “No breaks, no coffee, nonstop.”
Matthew does not acknowledge the praise. He leaves his careful work at the document shredder to run a letter through a postage machine. Then he fills the copy machine with a stack of paper.
“High five!” says Kreppel. Matthew knows their familiar routine, raises an arm and open palm
“I”™m on the ball,” says Matthew.
“Yes sir, you”™re on the ball.”
“Be sure to tell Jessica that,” says Matthew.
He checks his watch. His shredding work is about to end, when he”™ll switch to scanning
“I have one more minute to go,” he says.
