Two decades of experience working closely with Clients has taught me the importance of listening – understanding everyone’s unique situation and needs, never guessing, nor assuming I know how someone feels or what they’re thinking.  

If you ever saw my workspace, you may notice a small photograph of an elephant. Certainly not a pet, but a reminder. A reminder of a question that Mark Stutzmann, Vice President - Investments asked me years ago: “Have you ever been bitten by an elephant?” “No, of course not,” I responded. Then he asked me if I’d ever been bitten by a mosquito?  Of course, we all have because it’s the little things that get us. The elephant reminds me of the importance of paying attention to the details – to the little things – and never letting them diminish the level of service our Clients deserve.

While you might miss the elephant photo, you shouldn’t miss the one photo of my house which, believe it or not, I built pretty much with my own two hands. It also serves as a reminder – a reminder of a fable about a renowned architect – a master designer and builder of exquisite homes. After a long and distinguished career, he decided to retire, but his employer implored him to design and build just one more house. Reluctantly he agreed, but his heart wasn’t in it and the structure wasn’t up to the same standards as his prior work. When he went to see his employer to say his final good-bye, he was asked to do one more favor. He recoiled thinking he was going to be asked to build another house, but instead he was given an envelope and was asked to open it. Inside were keys – keys to the last house he built, a gift from his employer. That story reminds me that everything we do for Clients, we should do it as if we’re building our own house.

My job is to do everything possible to help ensure that Clients always find their interactions with our Group to be efficient, enjoyable, and satisfying. That requires all of us to be in-sync with each other and focused on anticipating, meeting, and exceeding our clients’ expectations. We set exacting standards for the practice, and we hold each other accountable.

I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Western Michigan University where I gained an appreciation for the importance of clear, concise communication; the ability to simplify the complex and clarify the confusing; and to rectify that which needs to be fixed as expeditiously as possible.

Before joining the Group in 2018, I worked for an international fashion designer in New York. Fast-paced, competitive, ever-changing – I now see some striking similarities to investing and stark differences to the approach we take in serving our clients.

The fashion world is replete with all sorts of fads. There are a lot of fads in investing too; however, they are not found in our practice. Some fashion is so indistinguishable in quality and appearance it’s more like a commodity; and there are financial firms who treat all their clients alike, but that is never how a client will be treated in our practice. Then there are certain fashion brands which cater to the unique taste and style of discerning customers. We understand that every client is different, every client is special. That is why we stress the importance of listening to and understanding our Clients, what they need, and how they want to be treated. Our goal is to provide a bespoke investment and wealth management experience for each client.

New York was fun, but my husband, Kevin, and I are both glad to be back home in our native state. Our two daughters are a constant reminder of the importance of family, and for me it also serves as reminder of the impact that our Group’s work has on our Clients and their families, now and for years to come.