Posted by Greg L. Szczesny on May 18, 2010:

Bear Hugs to Honor Tough Guy with Big Heart 9:01 AM ET, November 18, 2009 On December 4, KPMG employees and partners will come together to participate in Operation Holiday Bear Hugs to put new teddy bears and books into the hands of more than 21,000 sick and needy children across the country. While the event promises to be a memorable one for all who participate, the process�which includes placing a cloth "heart" inside each bear before stitching it up�will be particularly moving for those in the Washington DC office who knew Federal Advisory Services manager Stephen Walsh. That�s because Stephen, who passed away unexpectedly last month�only a few weeks shy of his 44th birthday�was known by his friends and colleagues as someone with a big heart and a passion for helping children in need. "As soon as we heard about Operation Holiday Bear Hugs, we knew Steve would have just smiled and said 'We have to do this,�" said Advisory partner Laura Odell, KPMG�s account leader for the Global Department of Defense. "In fact, there�s no doubt in my mind that he would have been a catalyst for this project here in our office." The Voice of the Child Those meeting Stephen for the first time might have seen him as an intimidating figure�a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who had a tough, no-nonsense demeanor. But those who knew him best say his heart and his passion for helping children in need dwarfed his professional reputation. Stephen volunteered much of his free time as a special advocate with the Washington DC arm of the national Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, which supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children in order to provide them with a safe and healthy environment in permanent homes. As an advocate, he worked with countless children to make sure they didn�t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in an inappropriate group or foster home. He would stay with each case until it closed and the child was placed in a safe, permanent home. "Being an advocate for those kids was heart-wrenching, but Steve stuck with it and got it done," said Laura. In fact, he was so effective that after his first year he was honored at a special ceremony in DC�s district court. "The judge at the time said Steve was truly the voice of the child," said Laura, who was invited to attend the ceremony as one of Stephen�s personal guests. So when the opportunity arose for the Washington DC office to select local charities that could distribute its bear/book packages, Stephen�s colleagues didn�t hesitate to give a portion to kids being served by CASA. "By doing this we�re not only contributing bears and books to kids, but we�re also contributing to a program Steve really believed in," said Laura. "So hopefully when we think of Steve, instead of tears in our eyes, there will be smiles on our faces." To mark what would have been Stephen�s 44th birthday on November 17, Laura, along with Advisory colleagues Mark Hogenmiller, managing director, and Patti St. George, partner, are putting together a celebration that includes his family members and colleagues, as well as representatives from West Point and various KPMG alumni who knew him. "He was just an incredible person who touched so many people," said Laura. "And he was so loyal and devoted to KPMG that it only makes sense that even after he�s gone we�re still giving back to children in his name."

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