Schwab Charitable, one of the largest national providers of donor-advised funds and other philanthropic services, has announced that Sam Kang will become President effective July 1, replacing Kim Laughton, who had previously announced plans to retire from the organization this summer.
Sam Kang joined Schwab Charitable in 2018 and currently leads the Service, Operations and Technology teams, where he has focused on improving donor and advisor experiences, delivering scale and efficiency, and building a collaborative, inclusive team environment. Prior to joining Schwab Charitable, he spent over 20 years at TD Ameritrade where he held a variety of leadership roles in strategy, technology and operations. Kang holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® designation, is an Executive Sponsor for the Charles Schwab Community Ambassadors Team in Westlake, and is part of the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association in Tarrant County.
As Schwab Charitable’s new President, Sam will set organizational strategy and lead its implementation in support of Schwab Charitable’s mission. His responsibilities will include the development of new products and services, oversight of investment and risk management programs, fostering innovation, and the creation of best-in-class educational tools and other resources to serve the charitable objectives of donors and the financial advisors who support them.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead Schwab Charitable and help our donors achieve even greater impact with their charitable giving,” said Kang. “I look forward to building on the momentum that Kim has inspired and finding new ways to enhance our efficient, tax-smart solution and modernize giving for donors, financial advisors and charities.”
Laughton is retiring after nearly a decade as President during which she oversaw a historic increase in annual granting, from $550 million in 2012 to $3.7 billion in 2020. During her tenure, Laughton also encouraged the development of new technology, philanthropic services and educational resources to help donors and their advisors integrate charitable giving into everyday wealth management and pass on important values to future generations.
“It has been the privilege of my career to lead Schwab Charitable, and I feel this is an ideal time to welcome fresh leadership while we are in such a strong position,” said Laughton. “Over the last 10 years, we have demonstrated the ability to increase giving by making it as easy as possible for donors to manage their charitable planning and giving right along with their other financial affairs. Sam has been instrumental in helping Schwab Charitable succeed in its mission to increase giving in the United States, and he has earned the respect of Schwab Charitable’s Board of Directors, employees, clients and business partners. Sam has both the experience and vision to guide the organization through the next chapter of helping even more donors achieve greater impact with their philanthropy.”