Beau Delafield, new chairman of the Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys & Girls Club in Delray Beach, with Mya Gonzales, 8, and Lovins Charles, 11.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Gulf Stream’s Beau Delafield, the new chairman of Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys and Girls Club in Delray Beach, believes in giving children a place where they can thrive.
“The Boys and Girls Club in Delray Beach currently hosts 524 children and provides them with a safe haven to go to after school where they get help with their homework, learn, play sports etc. and most importantly have fun and be kids,” says Delafield, 44. “As a father myself, it is important to me to see kids having a safe environment to thrive.”
Delafield has three daughters with his wife, Carrie. Addie is 11, Finley is 10 and Mason is 9.
What does he enjoy most about volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club? “That is an easy one — the children. I enjoy seeing how happy the children that attend the club are to be there,” Delafield says. “When I was there the other day just after they got out of school, children were literally running into the club with huge smiles on their faces.”
As chairman, Delafield is looking to increase community involvement for the club’s two flagship fundraising events in Delray Beach, “The Holiday Trunk Show” at The Seagate Hotel from Dec. 2 to Dec. 4 and the “Be Great” Dinner at The Marriott on April 3.
Delafield grew up in Vero Beach, and after jobs in Ohio and New York, he was happy to move back to Florida.
“I had the opportunity to return and be one of the first couple of people in the new Goldman Sachs office in West Palm Beach. Our children were 4, 3 and 2 years old at the time and not entrenched in schools etc. so it was the perfect time for our family to make the move,” Delafield says.
To relax, he heads to the beach and plays sports with his family. — Lucy Lazarony
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I grew up in Vero Beach and attended St. Edwards School through ninth grade and then attended The Taft School in Connecticut. After Taft, I graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Looking back, I was very fortunate to have grown up in the South, attended Taft in the Northeast and went to college in the West. This allowed me to meet and make friends with people from all over the country, many of whom I remain very close with to this day.
Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. My first job was with International Management Group in Cleveland. I represented professional tennis players as their business agent and negotiated their contracts and managed all aspects of their business affairs.
My wife, Carrie, and I then moved to New York where I worked in the Investment Management Division at Lazard Freres for nine years. I am currently working in the Investment Management Division at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in West Palm Beach and have been with the firm for eight years. I have enjoyed every opportunity, and each professional experience has allowed me to grow in my career.
Q. As chairman of the Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys and Girls Club, what do you see as the toughest challenges this group will face this year?
A. The budget to operate the NDH Boys and Girls Club has increased fairly significantly year over year, primarily due to some necessary maintenance on our facility. This puts the onus on our board to increase our fundraising efforts to cover the increase.
We are fortunate to have a truly fantastic board, and our plan is to continue to increase the tremendous community support we have received at our two flagship events, the Holiday Trunk Show at the Seagate Hotel from Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 and our “Be Great” Dinner at the Marriott on April 3.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. Select a career that you are passionate about. If you enjoy what you do on a daily basis, it will significantly increase the chances that you will achieve your goals. Additionally, I believe that there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction.
Today, everyone is emailing, texting etc. (myself included) and I think it is important to put down your device periodically and spend more time interacting with individuals to sharpen your people skills.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in Gulf Stream?
A. Growing up, we had family friends in Gulf Stream. When we were moving back to Florida, we drove through Gulf Stream and said, “This is where we would love to be, now we have to find a house.” Fortunately, we did.
Q. What book are you reading now?
A. The Age of Oversupply: Overcoming the Greatest Challenge to The Global Economy, by Daniel Alpert.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. The Rolling Stones for both.
Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A. At Lazard Freres, I was fortunate to develop a relationship with a gentleman who grew up in Chicago, put himself through Northwestern and co-founded Lazard Asset Management. He is first and foremost a family man whom I believe strikes the perfect balance between work and family. His wisdom and insight have been invaluable to me and I continue to call on him for his opinion on any major decisions in my life.
Q. Who/what makes you laugh?
A. My wife, Carrie, and our children Addie, Finley and Mason. There is always a lot of humor and laughing going on in our house.
Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A. Steve Martin as he appeared in Father of the Bride. As the father of three daughters, I will potentially get to experience hosting a wedding three times (unless I can negotiate elopement).
If You Go
What: 11th annual Holiday Trunk Show benefiting the Delray Beach Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys and Girls Club. The trunk show features more than 30 specialty vendors showcasing holiday gift items such as jewelry, fine accessories, home décor, holiday ornaments and decorations, men’s and women’s clothing fashions, toys, and gifts for all ages.
Where: The Seagate Hotel and Spa, 1000 E. Atlantic Ave. in downtown Delray Beach
When: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 2 preview cocktail reception. Tickets are $85 per person and include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Preview party tickets can be purchased at the door. Holiday trunk show 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4
Tickets: Admission is free. For information about the holiday trunk show or to purchase tickets for the preview party, call Deb Wrazin of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County at (561) 683-3287.
The Boys & Girls Club in Delray Beach can be reached at Naoma Donnelly Haggin Boys & Girls Club, 1451 SW Seventh St., Delray Beach, FL 33444 or at 279-0251.
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