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Passion for a cause, a predisposition for giving or a mandate from the boss – all are reason enough to believe that the charitable spirit in Greater Des Moines will survive tough economic times.

In what was described as a “donor-rich” environment at the Des Moines Embassy Club, the Business Record held its first Power Breakfast of the year on Feb. 17.

A panel of executives from four businesses offered advice on how to make the best pitch for funds and how they foster a spirit of social responsibility at their firms.

And it was clear from all four that a spirit of community responsibility pervades their businesses.

Craig Jackman, president of Paragon IT Professionals, noted that a reputation for social involvement helps attract workers to a company, as it has for Paragon.

“We find like-minded people who want to be part of our organization,” he said. “Almost everybody, without exception, is involved in some type of charity work.”

And employees who weren’t engaged in charitable activities when they arrive at Paragon typically become involved.

“We’ve had people ask ‘What are you getting out of it?’ and we’ve always said it’s just the right thing to do,” he said. “People come into the company not doing a lot of charitable work and they find that they do have a passion for it.”

Jackman joined Bob McGowen, managing partner of McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith P.C., Suku Radia, president and CEO of Bankers Trust Co., and Rick Tollakson, president and CEO of Hubbell Realty Co., in a discussion on corporate citizenship that was moderated by Shannon Cofield, executive director of United Way of Central Iowa.

McGowen said his company tends to be involved in charities that are important to its employees and clients.

“A lot of our time that we would give in the charity arrangement would be being involved in the community and active in organizations; it is important to our firm and the growth of our individuals,” he said.

Paragon has established an in-house group, Friends of Friends, which selects a charity and sponsors an annual fund-raising event, Jackman said.

It is important to determine the exact benefit that organizations receive from corporate philanthropy and volunteer involvement, and whether they have a sound plan for moving the organization forward, the panelists agreed.

Hubbell’s involvement is based on relationships built by its associates, vendors and clients, Tollakson said.

He also makes it clear that community involvement is part of the responsibility carried with working for the company.

As an example, Tollakson said he requires participation in United Way.

Tollakson said it is important for organizations to get Hubbell associates engaged in their programs.

“If you can get more of our associates involved in an event, the more excited they will be and the more willing they will be to give to that event,” he said. “That really heightens the interest in the group.”

Radia said he sets a tone of involvement that filters through the company.

“The leadership has to be willing to give time and resources; it starts at the top,” he said.

Radia noted that when he is raising funds for an organization, he takes a stubborn approach when making “the ask.”

“I am shameless, and I put people on a guilt trip,” he said.

The panelists also said that it is important to sustain charitable activities through a tough economy, provided the balance sheet allows it.

“If you think about it, the human services needs of this community are not going to decline this year; if anything, they are going to increase,” Radia said. “In the current economic environment I don’t think we as a community can back off in terms of raising dollars for the human services needs.”