SYRACUSE — Crouse Health recently announced the appointment of Vicki Brackens, president of her own financial-services firm, to the health system’s board of directors. President of Brackens Financial Solutions Network, Brackens has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur working in the area of financial education and financial services. She was co-host of […]
SYRACUSE — Crouse Health recently announced the appointment of Vicki Brackens, president of her own financial-services firm, to the health system’s board of directors. President of Brackens Financial Solutions Network, Brackens has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur working in the area of financial education and financial services. She was co-host of the TV show “Financial Fitness” on PBS affiliate WCNY in Syracuse for a number of years. A chartered financial consultant, Brackens can be heard providing strategic financial advice weekly on the “Inspiration for the Nation” program, hosted by George Kilpatrick. Brackens is an active community leader, having served as board member and on the Finance and Development Committees of the Central New York Community Foundation, as a foundation board member of the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology, a member of The Raymond von Dran IDEA board of advisors (RvD IDEA), and as a member of the Syracuse Area Salvation Army advisory board. She also continues to serve as a member of the board of directors and Investment Committee chair of CenterState CEO.
In 2020, to address the need for greater diversity in the financial-services industry, Brackens co-founded Heritage Financial Partners (HFP). As a management company, HFP provides individual advisors and firms, particularly those founded by African American and Latino practitioners, affiliation under one entity to provide the scale and support needed to consistently serve their marketplace. “Vicki is an accomplished, highly regarded community leader. Her unwavering commitment to enhancing the well-being of our community aligns perfectly with Crouse Health’s mission. We are pleased to welcome her expertise and passion to the board and look forward to her contributions,” Crouse Health Board of Directors Chair Patrick A. Mannion said in a December announcement. Crouse Health says it is the only locally governed community hospital system in Central New York. It has 507 beds, more than 800 physicians, and 3,500 employees with locations throughout the area. The Crouse board of directors, comprised of 17 local community leaders, provides all governance over the organization.