The Founders
Paul & Mindee Blanco
Paul and Mindee Blanco have always been committed to giving back to their community by working to improve the lives of underprivileged children and families. What started as a vision to help the world, one child at a time, soon evolved into what is now the Barnum Foundation for Life.
A prominent philanthropist and CEO of Barnum Financial Group, Paul encourages all of his employees to give back through both charitable contributions and volunteerism. Paul’s dream is for 100% of his employees to actively participate in charitable giving in some way. In 2006, Paul and Mindee created the Barnum Foundation for Life as a vehicle through which Barnum Financial Group employees could assist those in need throughout their community.
In addition to his numerous achievements in the financial services industry, in 2006, Junior Achievement inducted Paul into their Hall of Fame and in 2007 he was named Philanthropist of the year by the Fairfield County Remodelers and Home Building Association. Paul is also on the Board of the Shelton Boys & Girls Club.
In addition to her active role on the Board of the Barnum Foundation for Life and Chairperson of the Foundation’s Allocations Committee, Mindee is also the COO of Barnum Financial Group. She has been involved as a volunteer for the Feroleto Children’s Development Center for many years and currently sits on the Child and Family Guidance Board. Mindee is also an avid supporter of Junior Achievement.
President
Joseph D. LoPresti
Joe has been on the Board of the Barnum Foundation for Life since its inception and has served as the President since 2013. He has a deep rooted belief in giving back to the community - specifically to children of less fortunate circumstances.
He truly enjoys the impact that the Foundation makes on our community, through donations we are able to make to various organizations, and programs like Bikes for Kids.
Joe is the Executive Vice President at Barnum Financial Group where he has helped create a collaborative culture that nurtures leaders and empowers outstanding performance. He has earned a number of accolades for his leadership and performance throughout his career.
He currently resides in Woodbury, Connecticut with his wife Amy and 4 children: Tanner, Kassi, Carli, and Hannah.
Vice President
Amelia Nathanson
Amelia has been on the Board of the Barnum Foundation for Life since 2014. She loves that we try to give as much as possible to smaller organizations in our local communities. "These organizations are run by true heroes, and my hope is that our fundraising efforts help them achieve their missions and impact people’s lives."
Her favorite thing about taking part in the Barnum Foundation for Life is working with the other board members and how they try to make each event fun and different. She also loves that we give our Barnum associates the opportunity to give back in their local community with various opportunities, whether they prefer to be more hands on through volunteer efforts or as a donor.
Amelia is the Vice President of Operations at Barnum Financial Group where she is responsible for the overall success and accountability of the Barnum Operations team and the efficient processing and tracking of new business applications for all lines of business. She has been with Barnum since 2010.
She currently lives in Southington, Connecticut with her husband Michael and their twins Luciano and Stella.
Secretary
Benjamin Howarth
Ben has been on the Board of the Barnum Foundation since 2012. He joined the board because it gave him an opportunity to change the lives of children in his community. "I feel very blessed to have been successful in my career and that I am able to give back to families and children that may be less fortunate."
What he loves most about the foundation is the significant impact that we create through the programs that we sponsor. From giving a bike and helmet to an underprivileged child or delivering a check to an organization like the Tomorrow Fund to help families who’s child was diagnosed with cancer. "Being able to give back just feels good and you are helping those less fortunate."
Ben is a Financial Advisor in Barnum Financial Group's Warwick, Rhode Island office. He has been ranked as one of the Top Producers of the firm for many years and has earned a number of accolades for the work he does on behalf of his clients.
He currently resides in East Lyme, Connecticut with his wife Kourtney.
Treasurer
Jim Ian
Jim is the Managing Partner of Barnum Capital Management. With over 20 years of wealth management experience, Jim focuses his practice on asset management, financial planning and protection planning.
When he’s not in the office, you can find him teaching virtual classes on financial wellness and retirement planning to major corporations throughout the tri-state area. He spent over eight years co-hosting Connecticut’s #1 financial talk show, Smart Money Radio and is a multiyear recipient of Connecticut Magazine’s Five Star Wealth Manager Award (2014-2019).
A graduate of the University of Dayton, Jim currently resides in Guilford with his wife, Dana, their two sons, Ben and Will, and their two dogs.