Artist/Staff Profile: Walter Laich

General Mgr & Development, Classical/Flamenco Guitar

Walter is the General Manager of Salon Concerts, as well as being a very successful Financial Planner for Money Concepts Financial Planning.

We were very glad to have Walter join Salon Concerts in July 2009! He has brought expertise and experience that is sure to facilitate the Salon Concerts, Inc. goal of excellence in meeting each of our goals.

When not growing his business or volunteering at several local nonprofit associations, Walter can be heard around Austin playing classical/flamenco guitar at restaurants, country clubs, and churches.

Walter has a lot of experience in both the business and financial sector as well as several years assisting multiple non-profits in their endeavors. His current "day job" is Money Concepts Financial Planner, where he develops and monitors comprehensive individual, family, small business owners’ and nonprofit organizations financial planning and wealth management strategies.

From 1997 to 04, Walter was the Development Director for the Salvation Army of Austin, raising $6.2 million yearly in donations through major gifts, corporate giving, private foundations, governments contracts, and special events. Through professional networking, he developed and increased relationships with individual donors, corporations, and private foundations in Central Texas.

He was Executive Director for the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve from 2004-06, directing an environmental education center that provides programs in Earth Science and Astronomy for school age children and adults. While there, he made strong strides in their financial development, increasing major gifts and private foundation grants by over 500% in 2 years.

Within the cultural arts non-profits industry, he has worked with several groups both in the past and currently. Walter was previously volunteer Executive Director of the Austin Classical Guitar Society for two years (2001-2002) and helped them grow from a very good college group to a very successful professional organization before mentoring the current ED (Dr. Matthew Hinsley) to take the reins.

Recently, he began working with Dr. Robert Radmer -- Music Director of Balcones Community Orchestra (as well as one of our own CHAMPS coaches) to help him grow his very fine 12 year old organization.  In preparation to BCO forming their own 501 (c) 3 in the future he assisted them in joining Austin Circle of Theaters in April 2009 and turned in the group's first ever City of Austin Grant Proposal in May 2009.

Carl has a B.A. in Psychology from U.T. Austin, as well as a year credit in the Business Administration Graduate program from TSU. He is certified as a Financial Planner, and is the Education Director of the Financial Planners Association of Central Texas.

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