The world of trading and market structure has no shortage of folks with strong opinions, and debates around policy direction have sometimes been known to get a bit … spirited. But in spite of some of the public rhetoric, the vast majority of these folks realize that diverse opinions are part of what makes this industry great, and bonhomie rules the day when the community comes together for a worthy cause.
Nowhere is this more apparent than with the annual Wall Street Rides FAR charity bike ride, which will be held this weekend in White Plains, New York. Organized by Melissa and Bryan Harkins, both industry veterans, the ride is now in its fourth year and is closing in on $1 million in total proceeds raised for the Autism Science Foundation.
Despite being involved in his share of industry throwdowns, Bryan Harkins, now co-head of Cboes markets division after rising through the ranks of Direct Edge and later Bats, has successfully reached across the aisle to get peers at NYSE, Nasdaq and IEX to help raise money for this worthwhile cause.
The ride is a unique opportunity to interact with members of the trading community, said Michael Blaugrund, Head of Transactions at NYSE and a member of the NYSE team that will ride on Saturday. A tough client or fierce competitor seems a little less daunting when theyre wearing bike shorts.
In fact, the 2018 ride is shaping up to be the biggest yet, with over 200 riders expected to test their mettle on courses ranging from 20 miles all the way up to 62 miles, as well as a four-mile family ride. In addition to the exchanges teams, groups from firms including ABN AMRO, Chicago Trading, Citadel, Eaton Vance, Flow Traders, Hudson River Trading, Jane Street, SPDR, Susquehanna and Two Sigma are also planning to participate.
The outstanding turnout and representation from firms across our industry are a testament to the resonance of this event, which has gained a devoted following in just four years, said Ed Tilly, CEO of Cboe, who will ride for the first time on Saturday. Everyone at Cboe is very proud to support this important initiative.
For Harkins, bringing together the Wall Street community for a charitable cause was a longtime goal, and a bike ride to support autism research seemed like a natural way to do it.
Whether its within their own family or the larger community, everybody knows somebody who has been impacted by autism, said Harkins. The cause means so much to so many people, so its no surprise that our industry has responded with incredible generosity these past few years.
The beneficiary of the ride is the Autism Science Foundation, which supports autism research by contributing to leading scientists and organizations dedicated to the cause. In 2017, the ASF more than doubled its annual grant funding from the previous year, awarding nearly $1 million.
For Alison Singer, President of the ASF, the ride has been a huge success in more ways than one.
In just a few short years, Wall Street Rides FAR has become an integral part of what we do, she said. We are so grateful to Bryan, Melissa and the entire trading industry for their generosity. Beyond the fundraising, the ride functions as a fun community event for the riders and especially the families we help support, making it a great day across the board.
Between the cause, networking, friendly atmosphere and stunning Westchester scenery, there are plenty of reasons to sign up. Several big names from top Wall Street firms, including Blaugrund and Tilly, have already shared their motivations as part of the #WhyIRideFAR campaign.
And theres no need to compromise on family time – the ride offers something for all ages. The four-mile family ride and 5K walk are easy ways for little ones to get in on the fun, and the festival site will feature a bounce house, miniature golf and more.
With more nearly double the riders already signed up, this years event is on pace to raise the most money yet. And best of all, theres still time to register and contribute to the ASFs efforts to fund autism research. Sign up here and check out the rest of the website for more info.
We hope to see you at beautiful Saxon Woods Park on October 13!
