Slightly Off-Center: Best Way to Spend a Saturday?

There’s a lot you know about our team at The Center … but we’ve dug up answers to some questions you might have never thought to ask.

Best Way to Spend a Saturday?

On the Golf Course!-Angela Palacios

S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G; I repeat S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G–Amanda Toia

Playing tennis in the morning, making good music with friends in the afternoon, going out to a nice place for dinner, concert or show in the evening. –Dan Boyce

Hanging out with family or watching a football game –Gerri Harmer

Outside enjoying sunny weather –Jaclyn Jackson

Laying poolside reading every trash magazine I can lay my hand on! –Jennifer Hackmann

Relaxing with a good book and then dinner out in the evening –Laurie Renchik

Playing sand volleyball with great friends –Matt Chope

Waking up early, cup of coffee in bed while catching up on some reading on my IPad, nice long walk with my wife, Robin and our black lab, Jax, an afternoon playoff hockey game on TV and wrap up with a barbeque with friends and family in the evening –Nick Defenthaler

Best way to spend a Saturday is to travel to Kansas to watch Matt play football or to Albion to watch Jack play baseball or to one of Kacy’s swim meets. –Tim Wyman

It’s finally fall, my favorite season! So the best way to spend a Saturday is with my hubby at the orchard or cider mill, carving pumpkins, or taking the dogs for a long walk and enjoying the fall scents, scenery and weather. –Melissa Parkins

Slightly Off-Center: Your best kept secret?

 There’s a lot you know about our team at The Center … but we’ve dug up answers to some questions you might have never thought to ask.

Your best kept secret? 

I love to dress up for Halloween, this year my daughter was Princess Aurora and I’m dressed up as Maleficent! – Angela Palacios

If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore  -Amanda Toia

I can wiggle my eyeballs –Gerri Harmer

How dirty the inside of my car really is –Jennifer Hackmann

I’m extremely embarrassed to admit that I’m a sucker for bad reality TV that my wife enjoys –Nick Defenthaler

Congratulations, Melissa & Kevin Parkins!

Slightly Off-Center: What book are you reading right now?

 There’s a lot you know about our team at The Center … but we’ve dug up answers to some questions you might have never thought to ask.

What book are you currently reading?

Outlander –Angela Palacios

I usually have two or three going at a time.  Right now, I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes and Environmental Debt by Amy Larkin –Laurie Renchik

Joan Rivers’ bio –Jennifer Hackmann

I’ve always got two or three going at once. Right now, it’s Annie’s Ghosts, which is excellent, and The Heir Apparent about the life of King Edward VII –Melissa Joy

1492 –Dan Boyce

I’m actually in between reads right now…I’m not much of a fiction guy so I typically read books on investing, financial planning and motivational books...I also enjoy Men’s Health magazine and keeping up with the local sports page –Nick Defenthaler

Start with Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action –Sandy Adams

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness –Kali Hassinger

I am currently reading The Speed of Trust as my “fun” read and I usually have 2-3 business related books on going at one time. I read a lot….as my daughter Kacy says…mostly boring work stuff. –Tim Wyman

Slightly Off-Center: What's playing in your car right now?

There’s a lot you know about our team at The Center … but we’ve dug up answers to some questions you might have never thought to ask.

What's playing in your car right now?

Talk Radio –Jennifer Hackmann

Taylor Swift “Shake it off” –Jennie Bauder

NPR –Matt Chope

Van Morrison’s “These are the days” –Nancy Sechrist

A little bit of everything!  Anything from rap to pop to country to rock – depends on my mood! –Nick Defenthaler

Sports talk radio if I am alone or pop music if the kids are in the car (I love to sing along and embarrass them). –Sandy Adams

Fortunately my commute is rather short – I usually try to maintain my “man card” by getting up to speed on the sports scene. –Tim Wyman

The new Maroon 5 album (V), or Taylor Swift’s “Shake it off” … it’s so catchy! –Melissa Parkins

Nothing, my car flooded in the parking lot at work; I am looking for a new one. –Amanda Toia

Finance & flexibility? The link between yoga & your money

 If you think yoga and finance have nothing in common, you are wrong. It may not be obvious at first glance, but let me explain. On June 1^st, Kim and I participated in a 90-minute Bikram Yoga session on the lawn of the Detroit Institute of Arts with another 350 other people. The idea was to share time together and nurture our body while enjoying the sun. 

Bikram Yoga is one way for me to release and renew. There’s such a sense of caring that goes into the each move, such deliberate breathing, and a centering of the mind that takes place.  Whether you’re practicing under the hot sun or in a 104-degree studio, water takes on a whole new meaning. It never tastes as nourishing and refreshing – so much better than sitting in front of the TV and watching the game.  

I usually feel so much better after a class, a feeling that lasts for up to 2 days. Yoga may sound like an easy, funny looking exercise routine, but I assure you this is tough stuff!  My entire body gets stretched and almost massaged from the 26 movements and two breathing exercises held in this class. By the end, you feel a huge sense of accomplishment ... kind of like a cleaning at the dentist or an annual review with your financial advisor. Yes, yoga and finance can relate!   

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Center Summer Picnic Becomes a Tradition

 Tradition is an important part of The Center’s culture. That’s why we couldn’t be happier to see last year’s picnic turning into a tradition. For our 2^nd Annual Center Picnic, The Center team gathered at Island Lake State Park in Brighton on July 19^th. The day was filled with food, laughs, and competition. The weather wasn’t quite as cooperative as last year, but that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the day. 

The picnic began with some friendly games of cornhole and balloon animals for the kids. We fueled up on burgers, hot dogs, sausages, chips, cupcakes, and cookies, and then the games began. 

Referred to by some as “The Boyce Show,” Dan was once again the Master of Ceremonies.  Even as the ominous clouds began to roll in, our MC reminded the team that, much like the financial markets, we can’t be deterred by an uncertain future!  Despite the periodic rain showers, Dan maintained order and fun with his trusty megaphone.

The competition was heated in the balloon toss, egg and spoon race, and volleyball matches where The Center team’s passion and determination shined through. We firmly believe the motto:

It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.

Everyone left the picnic feeling like a champion.  However, it should be noted that some team members claim they are already training for next year.

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Catching up with Center co-founder Estelle Wade

 Estelle Wade is an important part of our family here at The Center. She co-founded our firm along with Dan Boyce and Marilyn Gunther in 1985. While she retired from The Center and her financial planning career in 2002, Estelle has continued to be an important presence in our lives.

This month, Estelle returned to Michigan for a visit. She and her husband, Gene, moved to Scottsdale, Arizona shortly after retiring and have been on the go ever since. It’s hard to keep track of all the wonderful places they’ve visited over the last decade. They’ve also spent time watching their five grandsons grow.

Over the years, we’ve often referred to Estelle’s wisdom, particularly in our weekly Monday planning meeting. She coined the phrase “go-go, slow-go, and no-go” in retirement and was using it 15 or 20 years ago – well before it became a catch-phrase concept for financial media like it is today. Estelle and Gene tell us that her “go-go” retirement years have been terrific.

Estelle continues to be a shining example of the power of compassion and caring when it comes to financial planning. Her wisdom has always been matched by her warm personal connections and that is no different today. For any of you who worked with her over the years, Estelle is still asking about how you’re doing and what you’re up to. This is less about the dollars and cents and more about the issues that you’ve faced over the years. It’s so great to catch up with Estelle to be reminded of the critical importance that relationships have to the overall financial planning process.

To mark Estelle’s special visit, we hosted an evening at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. This was especially appropriate since Gene Wade was principal French horn with the DSO for many years. More than 100 clients and friends of The Center joined us in honoring Estelle. And wouldn’t you know it? Although Estelle had been away from Michigan for twelve years, she knew more people in the room than anyone.

While the faces around here change from time to time, the culture and values cultivated by Estelle and our team partners many years ago continue to prevail. Across the miles we keep in touch with Estelle and Gene, but that can’t replace good old-fashioned hugs that they distributed liberally during their time here.

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Estelle Wade is no longer affiliated with Raymond James. C14-01346

The Center finds balance at Dave & Busters

How do you beat the winter blues? It was a question the Center for Financial Planning Social Committee had been pondering.  We kicked around many ideas but finally decided on Dave and Buster’s.  For those of you not familiar, Dave and Buster’s is a complex where food, drink, gaming, and fun collide.  We could beat the blues while trying to beat one another at some of the best games around. 

On the afternoon of February 6^th, we headed to Dave and Buster’s in Livonia.  It was a great afternoon filled with lots of food, drink, and camaraderie.  We found out we are a pretty competitive bunch.  There was a fierce Pac-Man tournament that took place between Tim Wyman, Amada Toia, Kali Hassinger, and Jennie Bauder.  Matt Chope and Melissa Joy found a video-enhanced Soccer Game.  Matt Trujllio stationed himself at a cool skee ball game that paid out lots of tickets while many others spent some time shooting hoops, playing air hockey, and various arcade games.

We decided as a group we would pool the tickets we won and get something for the office.  The number of tickets won totaled somewhere around 19,000 (told you we had fun!). Walking through our office you may spy two large, brightly colored gorillas (stuffed, of course).  They are our happy reminders of the day our office beat the winter blues!

Center Family Grows with a New Trujillo Addition

 We’re happy to spread the word that It’s A Boy! Center Support Planner Matthew Trujillo and his wife Diane announced the arrival of their new, darling son, Gavin. Matt and Diane tell us they are having fun raising two little boys and look forward to fishing and camping when they boys get a little older.

Gavin Matthew Trujillo was born on December 26, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz. and measured 21 ¼ inches long. Baby Gavin, mom, dad and big brother Luke are all doing well. Gavin is a sweet little treasure that looks like daddy, which is only fair because big brother Luke looks just like Mommy! Congratulations to the Trujillo family!