NFTE Honors 2025 Volunteers of the Year Valley National Bank and Kristoffer Kizer

New York, NY, Oct. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) announced its 2025 Volunteers of the Year at the Oct. 8 National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York City. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to NFTE’s mission of preparing young people for success through entrepreneurship education.

This year’s Corporate Volunteer of the Year is Valley National Bank, honored for its broad, multi-regional volunteer engagement. Over the past year, 93 Valley employees volunteered more than 220 hours across a range of NFTE programs. Their work has included coaching students during the Global Day of Coaching in New York, judging business pitch competitions at the regional, national, and international levels, and supporting initiatives such as the NYC Summer BizCamp, Founders Forum, and Youth Entrepreneurship Summit. While the bank’s primary volunteer base is in the Mid-Atlantic, its involvement has extended to NFTE programs in the Southeast, Midwest, postsecondary initiatives, and globally. Accepting the award on behalf of the bank was Jason Cahn, Senior Vice President, Senior CSR-CRA Officer.

Said Cahn, “At Valley Bank, supporting youth financial entrepreneurship is a cause close to hearts. When young people gain the tools to understand money, build businesses, and dream big, they become powerful change makers. NFTE's inspiring and powerful model equips students with real-world skills and entrepreneurial thinking to build confidence, resilience, and opportunity. We're privileged to support their deep commitment to student success in every classroom, every business pitch, and every story of impact.”

NFTE also recognized Kristoffer Kizer as Individual Volunteer of the Year. Kizer has volunteered with NFTE for more than four years as a business plan coach, mentor, and competition judge for various NFTE regions. In addition to guiding students through business plan development and pitch preparation, he has been a regular contributor to NFTE Midwest’s Guest Speaker Series and has worked with the national team as an ongoing advisor in the Founders Forum program.

“Volunteering with NFTE has reminded me that the entrepreneurial spirit doesn't wait for credentials or capital," Kizer said. "It starts with a mindset. One of my core beliefs is that the best way to predict the future is to fund it yourself. And NFTE students embody that truth. They show us that with the right tools, guidance, and just one person who believes in them, they can take ownership of their future and invest in it boldly.”

Both honorees have been added to NFTE’s Volunteer Hall of Fame, which highlights the contributions of volunteers who play a vital role in NFTE’s programs. NFTE’s volunteers serve as virtual or in-person coaches, judges, advisors, networking guests, guest speakers, field trip hosts and participants, and in other key roles. Last year, this dedicated corps of 6,420 business owners and professionals contributed 21,422 volunteer hours across 488 unique experiences, making a meaningful impact on more than 17,000 NFTE learners worldwide.

NFTE encourages professionals interested in supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs to learn more about volunteer opportunities at volunteer.nfte.com.

For media inquiries, please contact Denise Miller, APR, 917-281-4362, at mediainquiries@nfte.com.

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About NFTE:

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) brings the power of entrepreneurship education to learners, educators, and decision-makers so all young people can own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE leads the global movement for equitable access to entrepreneurship education. NFTE has educated nearly 2 million learners, delivering our programs in school, out of school, in-person, online, or through hybrid models. Visit nfte.com to learn more.

Attachments

Denise Berkhalter, APR
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
917-281-4362
deniseb@nfte.com

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