As we head into the season of giving, it’s only fitting to shine a spotlight on those who go out of their way to help communities in need. And Modus Advisors’s dedication to giving back reaches much farther than their Excelsior roots.
Founded in 2009 in Eden Prairie, Modus Advisors is a registered investment advisor and financial planning firm. President Tad Weiss moved the firm to Excelsior in 2016, where they have since found success helping clients achieve important financial and personal goals. When Tad and his team aren’t directly working with clients, they are discovering new ways to give back to important organizations and causes.
“We try to find various organizations that we can support from amongst our team, but we also love to hear from our clients on the causes that are most important to them,” Tad says.
One cause they have supported since 2021 is the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce’s Apple Days. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the Chamber of Commerce was forced to cancel nearly all their community events. So when 2021 rolled around, the Chamber sought help from local businesses to get Apple Days back off the ground. Modus Advisors stepped up.
For years, Modus Advisors has sponsored the beverage tent. “It just feels right to be able to do that for the community. It’s kind of become a tradition of ours, and I think we’ll keep doing it,” Tad says.
As a team of seven, Modus Advisors is small but mighty. The team meets quarterly as part of its donation program to give back to organizations, whether financially or physically, through volunteer work. And sometimes, their efforts span oceans.
In March 2023, Modus Advisors teamed up with a trusted client and Valley Evangelical Free Church to aid Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homeland as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Modus Advisors’ donations are helping relocate refugees to safe places.
The team also supports the work of Feed My Starving Children by packaging food in Minneapolis to be sent to over 70 countries worldwide. In 2011, Tad was able to travel to Haiti and see first-hand how his efforts with Feed My Starving Children impacted the locals who were reeling from a devastating earthquake.
“When you see mothers lining up for hours to receive the food to take it back to their families, that hits home. That shows you that this is going to a great cause and is being used really well,” Tad says. “I think when you can find those organizations that you can be actively involved with, and you can see the change you’re helping to make, that’s the most rewarding.”
Being able to see the change they’re making is one of the reasons Modus Advisors continues to donate and volunteer with a select few organizations year after year. One such organization is Hope Academy, a private educational institute in Minneapolis.
Four years ago, Modus Advisors decided to sponsor a young boy in kindergarten, and they have continued to sponsor him ever since. Once a year, Tad and his team visit the young boy who is now in 3rd grade. “It’s so fun to see him grow and get such a great education. The donation that we’re able to make is making that happen.”
The Excelsior and surrounding communities are lucky to have the team at Modus Advisors so willing to devote their time to making change happen. However, I’m certain Tad and his team would consider themselves the lucky ones.
“We’re very blessed and thankful to live and work in the community we do. We’re thankful for prosperity and that we have the ability to help others that aren’t as fortunate as we are or are in more difficult circumstances,” Tad says.
“I think when you can find those organizations that you can be actively involved with, and you can see the change you’re helping to make, that’s the most rewarding.”