NEWS | Lauren Rich Fine to Receive 2025 Changemaker Award at the 12th Annual Giving Splash Party

CLEVELAND, June 20, 2025– Drink Local Drink Tap, the Cleveland-based nonprofit, is proud to recognize Lauren Rich Fine with the 2025 Changemaker Award at the 12th Annual Giving Splash Party on November 6th, 2025. Each year, Drink Local Drink Tap selects an organization, company, or people who have gone above and beyond as supporters and stewards of clean water. Recipients of the Changemaker Award have shown an unwavering commitment to Drink Local Drink Taps’ mission and programs and continue to inspire passion for our future goals.

Lauren serves as a Partner at Beatrice Advisors, focusing on Investments and Business Development. Lauren brings decades of expertise to her role, with a career spanning leadership roles in equity research, wealth management, and executive search. At Beatrice, Lauren will play a pivotal role in expanding the firm’s reach and enhancing its investment strategies. She will co-lead the business development process, focusing on generating new leads and expanding Beatrice’s client base. Lauren will also spearhead various projects and contribute to the design of processes related to the management and operations of the business, leveraging her extensive experience in finance and strategic planning. Furthermore, she will provide valuable support on the investment side as a member of the Investment Committee, drawing from her deep expertise in equity research and investment management.

Before joining Beatrice, Lauren worked at Gries Financial Partners, where, as part of the leadership team, she contributed to business development and strategic planning while advising clients on their investment portfolios. Previously, she spent nearly 20 years at Merrill Lynch as a Managing Director in equity research. During her tenure, she earned the top spot in her coverage universe on the Institutional Investor All-American Research Team for 11 consecutive years and was on the team for 14 years. Lauren later transitioned to executive search consulting with Howard & O’Brien, specializing in C-Suite and board placements.

Lauren holds a B.A. from Tufts University and an M.B.A. from NYU’s Stern School of Business. Passionate about civic engagement, she serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, College Now, and University Hospitals’ Eastern Region Board, and has served on more than a dozen other non-profit boards. She is on the Board of Private Trust Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial. She is also active in supporting Cleveland’s startup ecosystem and mentoring young entrepreneurs.

A longtime advocate for the arts and community development, Lauren splits her time between New York and Cleveland.