On February 15th, 2012, Zelda Kaplan unexpectedly passed away during a fashion show. Ninety-five years young, Ms. Kaplan was affectionately known as the woman who could out-party socialites decades younger, and her death will undoubtedly leave a void on the social circuit. While grieving the loss of their dear friend, Zelda Kaplan’s inner circle was clearly touched by more than her loyal friendship; her approach to life was also something that they all admired greatly. Fashion Publicist Kelly Cutrone was empowered by Kaplan’s spirit. “She pioneered a trail of fierceness for the rest of us,” Ms. Cutrone said. “Every time you would see her, she was pushing the envelope.”
Ms. Kaplan also worked to change the world. She made frequent trips to remote villages in Africa, speaking to tribes about the perils of female genital cutting and lobbying for a woman’s right of inheritance. Filmmakers Nicole Sampogna and Mona Eldaief 2003 documentary “Her Name Is Zelda” celebrated Ms. Kaplan’s humanitarian efforts.
Zelda Kaplan’s life, love and passion reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by W. Clement Stone: “When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.”
I have always had an interest and passion for finance and empowering women to take control of their investments. Like Zelda, I have made a career out of pursuing the work I love. Helping my clients understand their finances, create goals and build wealth is unbelievably rewarding each and every day. When I founded LexION Capital Management, it was of the utmost importance to me to create a firm where our sole mission is to provide clients with customized strategies to achieve investment success. That’s why we are a completely independent, fee-only wealth management firm. We operate at the fiduciary standard to offer our clients one critical service: objective and informed investment advice free from any conflicts of interest. Because we focus exclusively on wealth management, LexION’s sole priority is our clients’ satisfaction.
My sincere condolences to the family and friends of Zelda Kaplan. She was following her passions and was changing the world for the better. I try to live by those principles, and hope that you do, too.