Gerri Harmer Nominated for Outstanding Branch Professional Award

Contributed by: Lauren Adams, CFA®, MBA

The Center is thrilled to announce that Gerri Harmer was a nominee for the 2017 Raymond James Financial Services Outstanding Branch Professional Award! This award is designed to recognize support professionals who have been affiliated with Raymond James for at least one year who contribute to the success of their advisors and teams.

We are blessed to have a whole team of exceptional professionals at The Center, and Gerri’s leadership by example is a major contributor to our Service First mentality. In the words of Partner Tim Wyman, “Service is in her DNA – it is who she is.”

Chances are, if you’ve ever visited our offices or called in to The Center, you’ve had a chance to experience Gerri’s friendliness and helpfulness firsthand. Gerri’s personal mantra is to “Make people’s lives better.” She sets a goal for herself and the firm to make our clients feel like family on the phone and when they walk in the door. Gerri’s genuine love of people is evident to everyone that has the privilege to be around her.

Partner Melissa Joy comments about Gerri, “She embodies our firm’s culture of strong work ethic, compassionate and effective leadership, and commitment to financial planning.”

Gerri is also the leading force behind The Center’s Health and Wellness initiative since 2007. This committee regularly sponsors awareness events—such as lunch and learns on the importance of sleep or brings in meditation facilitators—and has allowed us to be recognized at various local and national levels (such as the Governor’s Fitness Award and the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Award).The Health and Wellness committee has become a major contributor to what we believe is a very strong culture here at The Center. Through Gerri’s leadership, our team has grown and become much more connected through a variety of methods.

Many of you comment about what a joy Gerri is and how lucky we are to have her – we couldn’t agree more. Furthermore, she recognizes service excellence in other staff members and is a pro at publicly celebrating others’ successes to help motivate the team to continue to WOW our clients and share effective service techniques amongst ourselves. Gerri sets an incredibly high bar for the rest of our team to aim for in terms of Service First attitude and team dedication.

Please join us in congratulating Gerri on her nomination!

Lauren Adams, CFA®, MBA is Director of Client Services at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

The Center Team attends Raymond James National Conference in Orlando!

Contributed by: Jeanette LoPiccolo, CRPC®

The Center Team recently attended the Raymond James National Conference for Professional Development in Orlando, Florida.

Melissa Joy, CFP®, on the far right of the panel.

Our Center’s own Melissa Joy spoke as a panelist for the session titled “Following the Career Path from Branch Professional to Financial Advisor.” Melissa and several of her co-panelists discussed their transitions from the client service role to financial planner. The panel’s discussion outlined available resources and educational opportunities for those who wish to chart their career path to the position of Financial Planner. The real life examples and life lessons that were shared were inspiring!

In addition to presentations centered on enhancing client service, the conference also provided us the opportunity to catch up on the latest industry standards as well as subjects of universal interest. Here are just a few of the sessions that we enjoyed:

• “Seeing How We Think”– We learned about individual communication styles based on our strengths in the right, left, top and bottom of our brains.

• “Cybersecurity: Threats and Solutions”– Ask us how Raymond James Investor Access dual authentication can help protect your online account.

• “The Science of Happiness:  Fred Luskin, Director, Stanford Forgiveness Projects” taught us to stop and check our perspective, then be sure to have fun!

After the first full day of educational sessions it was time for a little fun! Raymond James invited us to visit Universal Studios for a few hours Monday evening. Several of our Center Team Associates braved a roller coaster ride through the jungles of Jurassic Park. While at the Marvel Super Hero Island, Center Team Associates posed for photographs along side their favorite Comic book Heroes and Villains.

Each year almost the entire Center Team attends the Raymond James National Conference as a way for each individual to grow personally and professionally. This year was no exception. Our entire team had a blast meeting other Raymond James professionals as well as learning new tricks of the trade. We’re excited to see what next year has to offer!

Jeanette LoPiccolo, CRPC® is a Client Service Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

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Raymond James is not affiliated with Fred Luskin or the Stanford Forgiveness Projects.

Our Planners Give Back to the Profession

Contributed by: Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

The Center has a long history of being leaders in the financial planning profession. Our team members have served organizations like the Financial Planning Association (FPA) for many years – and the tradition continues.

In 2015, Nick Defenthaler, CFP®, joined the Board of Directors for the FPA of Michigan and has been instrumental in carving out the local chapter’s NexGen organization – a group of financial planners under the age of 37 who are committed to leading the financial planning profession in the right direction. Moving forward into 2017, Nick will act as Secretary on the Board and is looking forward to future leadership opportunities within the organization.    

Tim Wyman, CFP®, who served the National FPA Board several years ago, recently completed his term on the local FPA of Michigan Board. Tim has instilled the value of giving back to the profession to our team members and The Center is looking forward to supporting the Financial Planning Association for many years to come!

Raymond James is not affiliated with the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

We're Expanding!

Contributed by: Lauren Adams, CFA®, MBA

If you happened to visit The Center in December (perhaps for your annual review or maybe just to drop off a gift for Toys for Tots), you may have noticed an unusual amount of construction workers milling around and near our offices. You may have heard the occasional drill or hammer while chatting with Gerri or having a coffee in the reception area. You may have even come in to find a wall there one day and gone the next. To our December visitors, thank you for pardoning our dust. We really hope you’ll like what we did with the place.

2016 was a major year of investment in our team and resources at The Center. I was hired in July as the Director of Client Services, Jeanette LoPiccolo, CRPC®, who was hired as a Client Service Manager, Emily Lucido and Ashley Frank, both Client Service Associates, all came on in September, and Josh Bitel, another Client Service Associate, was added to our team in December. These new faces brought enthusiasm and fresh ideas with them… but things also started to get pretty cramped around here. And so, to cap of a year of major investment, the partners decided that it was also time to expand our physical location as well.

Now, visitors to The Center will notice that the office opens up both to the left and to the right from the lobby. We’ve added over 2,000 square feet of new space, new offices, new workstations, and even a new conference room where we can hold additional client and team meetings. We’ll be putting the finishing touches on our new space in the coming weeks; walls will receive special touches and additional furniture will arrive. This new space will allow those that were previously sharing close workspaces to spread out, and for us to arrange our departments, including Financial Planning, Investments, and Client Service, together to help share knowledge and function more cohesively. With the addition, Matt Trujillo, CFP®, and Nick Defenthaler, CFP®, will now have room to host client meetings in their offices.

We also have room to grow.  This year marks 32 years since our founding. Our commitment to the financial planning process, putting clients first, and providing exceptional service hasn’t changed since Dan Boyce, Marilyn Gunther, and Estelle Wade started the firm in 1985, and we know our steadfast commitment will allow us to continue to grow into the future. So come in, say “hi!” and see our new space!

Lauren Adams, CFA®, MBA is Director of Client Services at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

The Center Welcomes New Team Member Josh Bitel!

Contributed by: Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

As The Center grows, so does our team! This December, we welcomed another new team member to the Financial Planning Department: Josh Bitel! Josh came to know The Center through a valuable team member and friend of over ten years, Investment Representative Nick Boguth.

After graduating from college, Josh was looking for a job in the finance industry. When the position in the financial planning department opened, we were lucky enough to have Nick recommend that Josh apply for the job.  Josh stood out in the interview process primarily due to his high level of energy and clear passion for financial planning.  Although Josh is in the early stages of his career, he already possesses strong technical skills surrounding various planning topics. 

Josh graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Walsh College in 2016. During college he interned at Scottrade, INC. as a finance intern and is currently working toward obtaining industry license and certifications.

He’ll be working closely with Sandy Adams, CFP®, within the firm’s financial planning department.  Josh will complete financial planning research, write blogs on a variety of important topics, attend client meetings, provide meeting follow-up, and will assist Sandy and other financial planners to respond to client requests that are financial planning related specifically concerning pension analysis, Social Security analysis, and mortgage re-finance review.

We are lucky to have Josh join our Center Team as we expand in order to best serve the many needs of our clients. Next time you’re in the office, please feel free to say “Hi!” to our growing team!

Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and its advisors do not provide advice on mortgage issues, these matters should be discussed with a mortgage professional.

The Center Partnered with Toys for Tots Again!

Contributed by: Jeanette LoPiccolo, CRPC®

When you hear the words “Toys for Tots,” what comes to mind? For me, it’s the image of a wide eyed child filled with anticipation, unwrapping a colorful present on Christmas morning. I immediately smile when I think of the toy cars, dolls, and stuffed animals that generous patrons have given to families in need. I reflect on the relief that the parents may feel knowing that a present will be under the tree for their child.

How did this tradition start? It’s been around for so long that some of us may not know the history – I didn’t. After joining The Center’s charitable committee I had the opportunity to participate in this year’s collection. I was so impressed to learn that Diane Hendricks, the spouse of a Major in the Los Angeles Marine Reservists, hand crafted a doll in hopes of giving it to a needy child for Christmas in 1947.

Diane and her spouse, Bill, soon learned that there was no organization that existed to make her wish happen. So Bill decided to start the Toys for Tots project. Toys for Tots became an immediate success and the US Marine Corps Reserve has been collecting toys ever since!

Wondering how the toy drive works? Over the years, Marines have established close working relationships with social welfare agencies, churches and many local community agencies which are well qualified to identify the needy children in their community. These organizations play an important role in the distribution of the toys. Over 97% of the donations go to their mission of providing a much needed gift of joy to the less fortunate children on their community. In 2015, the program took place in 782 communities covering all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.  

The Center is pleased to participate with the Oakland County chapter of Toys for Tots for the second year in a row. The Center and our friends have shown their generosity once again this year. With generous donations and happy hearts the collection boxes were overflowing!   

On behalf of The Center, thank you for your donations to the Toys for Tots project. We wish our community, all of our friends a very happy holiday season!

Jeanette LoPiccolo, CRPC® is a Client Service Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

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Humbling Experience: Volunteering with Humble Design

Contributed by: Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

On December 7th, eleven volunteers from The Center braved the cold and made their way to Pontiac to meet at the Humble Design warehouse. There we learned about the truly humble beginning of this non-profit that furnishes homes for families who have previously experienced homelessness. Humble Design goes into homes, procured by agencies, and adds furnishings—like a bed for each child, kitchen supplies, and furniture for living spaces—as well as character to the previously empty space. They take each unique family into consideration and decorate to their needs and likings. Each child gets their own bed, something most children living in shelters don’t have the luxury of experiencing, and those kids then for the first time have their own space to learn, to dream, and to live. Every kitchen is furnished with new pots and pans procured through valuable partnerships Humble Design has initiated. Most importantly, every house has a dining room table that is set and ready for family meals; again something most transient families are unaccustomed to. Humble Design attains all these materials from gracious donations, advantageous partnerships with organizations, and companies, like Center for Financial Planning, who sponsored a specific family.

We at The Center were so excited to start this partnership with Humble Design after having a few of our partners work with them in the past. In October, we had a couple employees volunteer in the warehouse, sorting donations and the like, and in December we were able to extend this partnership further to sponsor the design and furnishing of a house for a family of four in Detroit. Our volunteers carried boxes filled with pictures, lamps, pots and pans, in order to design and stock the house with the essentials and designed it in a truly beautiful way. At the end of the day the family was able to move into an already furnished house with all of their needs covered, and have it feel like a readymade home. We may have provided the things and donated our time, but that family will add the life, the love, and the happiness to make the house a home. We are truly grateful to have been a part of such a wonderful opportunity to make a family feel safe and welcomed in a place to call their own.

Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of Humble Design.

Finding The Center

Contributed by: Emily Lucido

Looking for a new job is not the greatest thing in the world. Let’s not sugar coat it. It’s hard and it can be exhausting at times. Whether searching for a new job because of location, personal growth, or current discontent, it can be hard to find something “better” or even just a good fit for you.

So I wanted to share my Center Story. Instead of painstakingly searching for a specific job I wanted, I took the approach of looking for a good company. Because, let’s be honest, most of your happiness at work can sometimes just be about the company you are working for instead of the job itself.

As I started my research within the financial services industry, The Center stood out to me immediately. I liked that it was a smaller financial firm, and you can sense its cool vibe, great culture, and core values as soon as you step through the doors. It struck me as exactly the kind of place where a recent finance grad, like me, could really spread my wings.

The Center was recognized in Crain’s 2014 Cool Places to Work Award Program (fun fact: our Director of Client Services, Lauren Adams, found The Center after reading the Crain’s article too!), and I have to say, the award does not lie.

After being here for about two months, this is somewhere where you just feel at home. When your company takes care of you, you want to do a good job every day, and that is exactly how I feel here.

The Center strives for growth, which is something extremely important to me. I have learned so much in the past two months about the financial planning process and have stretched myself to do and learn more. Being a part of The Center doesn’t just mean doing your job; it means being involved with each other, engaged with our internal committees (like Health & Wellness), and committed to community services through our company sponsored volunteer programs. Everyone has equal value, and you respect everyone for the amount of work and time they’ve put into their jobs, which makes you want to do a good job as well.

And good work doesn’t go unnoticed! I remember vividly during my first weeks when I received a compliment from Tim Wyman, Partner and Branch Manager, about one of my first client phone calls. Being new and just getting started, it was refreshing to receive that kind of support especially from someone higher up in the company.  It meant a lot to me and motivated me to do even better for our clients.

So if you need advice and are looking for a new job or career, my two cents are to look at the company first. Look at its values and goals, see if it recognizes employees, and make sure you will be treated fairly. Happily, this is something I don’t have to worry about now that I work here, at The Center.

Emily Lucido is a Client Service Associate at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

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Any opinions are those of Emily Lucido and Lauren Adams and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

Giving Thanks

Contributed by: Gerri Harmer

Most of us give thanks on Thanksgiving. Some have started listing what they’re thankful for every day of November on social media which I think is absolutely fantastic. It’s how I start my day, not on social media but some kind of affirmation to myself. Most of the things they mention are big things they are most grateful for such as people like family and friends. While I know those are indeed the most important things, I’ve found that the little things about those big things are the things I remember most.  When I think back about some of the best times with family, I don’t always remember the gift I got my son for his birthday but I do remember that big mega-watt smile that spread over his face and the feeling of joy in my heart knowing his day was filled with excitement and bliss. I don’t recall the jokes my dad told or his bigger than life stories but I do remember his voice and the way his eyes lit up when he laughed. I recall my grandmother’s advice and her listening to my latest adventures with excitement as if it were the greatest story she’d ever heard or the hugs I received from grandpa or Mom putting the special spice in the recipe. These small moments fill us. They are what we hold in our hearts. I think Maya Angelo said it best, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

It may sound corny but how we make clients feel is what we hold dear here at The Center. We consider our clients to be part of our extended family. It’s important to us to we take care of their needs, spoken or unspoken, to the best of our ability. If we don’t have the answer, we’ll research it. When our clients call, we do our best to respond as quickly and thoroughly as possible and if we can put a smile on their face or a more peaceful feeling in their hearts then we’re content. When clients go through a joyful occasion, we cheer, when they’re going through a rough time, we feel it and do what we can to make it easier. We prepare in advance for possible emergencies whether it’s economic or situational. We try to get to know clients’ families, in case anything should happen we know who to contact and how to help. We take time to think about how we can do better for our clients even if we’re doing great. We want our client families to create the best lives they can possibly imagine and we feel incredibly thankful they have chosen us to share time and those moments.

Happy Thanksgiving from your Center Family!

Gerri Harmer is a Client Service Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

Deepening Financial Planning Knowledge: FPA Residency

Contributed by: Kali Hassinger, CFP®

Financial Planning is more than just analyzing data and crunching numbers – it’s also about trust, communication, and (most importantly) relationships. While studying for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, all candidates are, perhaps obviously, required to focus on the technical (and necessary) knowledge to be a worthy financial planner. Upon finishing the coursework and passing the test, however, the relationship facet of a financial planning practice is left somewhat overlooked.  In hopes of filling this gap, the Financial Planning Association (FPA) offers a “Residency” program for new financial planners who are looking to hone in on their interpersonal skills. I was lucky enough to be one of the attendees at this workshop in Denver, Colorado last month. 

The FPA Residency program provides a space to refocus on the subtle skill of building relationships based on trust, authenticity, and mutual respect. Although I would have argued that you either innately possess these abilities or you don’t, this course ultimately changed my mind.  Every skill in life can be practiced and improved upon, and communication is no different. The Residency focused on specific strategies such as how to ask the most effective questions and minimize miscommunication. It also focused on the more delicate skill of how to better notice and acknowledge emotions in others. 

Financial Planning is a deeply personal matter for all of our clients. We are discussing your life’s work, your dreams, and your family. In many cases, the financial aspects of these matters aren’t discussed with anyone else, so it’s normal for clients to have a certain level of anxiety when engaging a financial planner or preparing for a meeting. Although numbers and strategies will always be a main focus, above all, we strive to provide clients with a relationship that provides them with confidence. By recognizing, understanding, and dealing with the emotions that are often incited by finances, we can better serve our clients in all aspects of financial planning. Without question, I personally benefited from the FPA Residency program. I hope to use this benefit, however, to foster effective and valued financial planning relationships in the future.  

Kali Hassinger, CFP® is an Associate Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®

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Raymond James is not affiliated with the Financial Planning Association. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.