A time to celebrate
<p>In celebration of the 75th anniversary of D.A. Davidson, the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County recieved a $1,000 donation. More than $127,000 was donated to 83 nonprofits in 50 locations where Davidson Companies offices are located. From left are Cort Wilcox, D.A. Davidson and former Boys and Girls Club president; club members Johnny Smith and Tiffany Spencer; and Ryan Davis, Boys and Girls Club executive director.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - D.A. Davidson, a Northwest financial brokerage firm, recently celebrated its 75th anniversary while the Coeur d'Alene branch celebrated 25 years.
In celebration of the anniversaries, the local branch donated $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County. More than $127,000 was donated to 83 nonprofits in 50 locations where Davidson Companies offices are located.
D.A. Davidson has grown from a two-person firm in 1935 during the Great Depression, with David Adams Davidson at the helm, to the largest full-service brokerage firm in the Northwest. The company remains employee-owned and based in Great Falls, Mont. The Coeur d'Alene branch is one of eight D.A. Davidson & Co. offices across Idaho.
Ian Davidson, son of D.A. Davidson, joined the firm in 1958, bringing his master's thesis outlining development of a successful regional securities firm. He is current chairman of Davidson Companies, the financial services holding company that owns D.A. Davidson & Co., Davidson Trust Co., Davidson Investment Advisors, Davidson Fixed Income Management and Davidson Travel.
Davidson Companies has 1,100 employees at 66 locations in 17 states. The company services more than 150,000 accounts worth $28.9 billion.
The Bragg Lewis Knutson Community Service Award, the highest honor given to a company associate, was established in 1995 in memory of three Davidson executives killed in a plane crash in 1994 at the Great Falls airport. Coeur d'Alene's Cort Wilcox was the 1997 winner. Craig Wilcox, Cort's son, was nominated for the 2010 award that will be announced soon.
The Coeur d'Alene branch has contributed to several nonprofits and events over the years, including Idaho Youth Ranch, Excel Foundation, North Idaho Building Contractors Association, Post Falls Education Foundation, youth sports, Coeur d'Alene Triathlon and the Boys and Girls Club.
It contributed $24,000 to the capital campaign for the Boys and Girls Club's future facility and more than $8,500 in employee and corporate matching funds. Cort Wilcox is one of the founding board members and former president of the club. His wife, Valerie Wilcox, is a current club board member.
Coeur d'Alene employees are involved in Rotary, Kiwanis and the area chambers of commerce.
The branch recently finished an expansion and remodel of the office on Northwest Boulevard.