Slightly Off-Center: Your best beauty 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.

Exercise is the Fountain of Youth! –Angela Palacios

Stay Out of the Sun –Amanda Toia

Stay optimistic, stay fit, have fun –Dan Boyce

Don’t stress and be happy –Gerri Harmer

Drink tons of water –Jaclyn Jackson

Clean ears is a must –Jennifer Hackmann

Less is more –Jennie Bauder

Fanny Packs are always in style and can complement any outfit –Kali Hassinger

7 hours of consistent sleep every night –Matt Chope

I have to shower twice a day – once in the morning to help myself wake up and once at night to relax and unwind –Nick Defenthaler

Don’t try too hard! –Sandy Adams

This is all natural – bam! –Tim Wyman

Embrace yourself – you are beautiful no matter what –Melissa Parkins

Slightly Off-Center: TV show you never miss?

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.

The Biggest Loser and Game of Thrones –Angela Palacios

This season of The Voice –Jaclyn Jackson

Criminal Minds –Jennifer Hackmann

Parenthood –Jennie Bauder

Parks & Rec –Kali Hassinger

The Good Wife, Downton Abbey, The Blacklist –Laurie Renchik

Homeland –Matt Trujillo

Outlander, Game of Thrones, Mad Men –Melissa Joy

This surprises me too, but it’s “The Walking Dead” –Nancy Sechrist

I’m a huge fan of Showtime – Homeland, Ray Donovan, old episodes of Dexter, etc. – And as I mentioned earlier, those mind numbing reality shows that I’m a sucker for! –Nick Defenthaler

Detroit Tigers or Michigan State games (football and basketball) Go Spartans! –Sandy Adams

I don’t watch TV programs very much.  My wife Jen and I do periodically get obsessed and watch shows like House of Cards, The Good Wife, and Homeland via Netflix in a very short amount of time. –Tim Wyman

Team Building Whirls to a New Level

We are team players here at The Center!  And when we play, we play to win!  Recently, the Health and Wellness Committee sponsored a little excursion to the local Whirlyball venue in Novi.  If you’ve never heard of Whirlyball, you’re not alone.  It is a combination of Basketball, Lacrosse, and bumper cars, which is basically a recipe for fun!  The office broke up into 2 teams:

Game 1: “Friendly” Forgotten

The evening started out as a friendly match of 4-on-4, but it quickly escalated into an intense showdown.  After the first game went into sudden-death overtime, all loyalties tied to the office were put aside for Whirlyball team allegiance.  Angie “Arms” Palacios, who seemed to catch everything within 10 feet of her car, made an amazing last minute play to score the game winning point for Yellow. 

Game 2: Getting Aggressive

In the second game, Nick Defenthaler, who was indisputably the MVP of the evening, outscored everyone and brought Red to an early lead.  Although the Yellow Team came back to tie the game, their achievement was called into question due to an egregiously aggressive play by Matt Trujillo.  Tim Wyman was in position and ready to score, when Matt Trujillo slashed him across the face with his scoop.  Tim literally bled for his team that night.  Regrettably, time constraints didn’t allow for overtime. 

After the game, Matt T. felt sort of bad. To make amends, he is putting together a Center team for the Whirlyball league.  This way, we don’t have to play against one another in the future.  In a clear attempt to get back in Tim’s good graces, Matt is currently throwing around the team name “Wyman’s Warriors.”  The office is open to suggestions, though, so please pass any ideas our way!   

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Slightly Off-Center: What do you do for fun?

 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.

Golf, exercise, read, relax at home – Angela Palacios

Play tennis, hike, sing in choral groups, volunteer –Dan Boyce

I like rollercoasters, so I try to get to visit theme parks when I get the chance –Jaclyn Jackson

Garden, read, any sporting event out there –Jennifer Hackmann

Get outside and walk/ride bike with friends (spring, summer and fall) –Laurie Renchik

I travel to beautiful places and hike to mountain tops, forested areas and valleys that are difficult to get to by transportation. –Matt Chope

I still play soccer year-round –Melissa Joy

Simple things are fun to me – working out, spending time with my wife and our dog, playing hockey, golf, having a beer with friends –Nick Defenthaler

Watch sports and stay active doing anything (walk, run, bike, etc.) –Sandy Adams

Play with my dogs – they are so silly! –Melissa Parkins

Slightly Off-Center: What is your best achievement?

 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.

Earning a Master’s Degree in Humanities –Amanda Toia

A sustainable, growing business enterprise –Dan Boyce

Being a mom –Gerri Harmer

Carrying 2 babies in my belly for 8 months –Jennifer Hackmann

Becoming a mom –Jennie Bauder

Winning 4 MVP awards from peers in sand volleyball tournament play over the last 10 years around the world. –Matt Chope

Raising two wonderful daughters –Nancy Sechrist

Earning my CFP® designation – it was the hardest I’ve ever worked for something and certainly my most rewarding accomplishment! –Nick Defenthaler

Giving Back: Partnering with the South Oakland Shelter

 For many, getting involved in the community and giving back is as much a gift to yourself as it is a gift to others. Over the last 15 years, my partner (is this the best word?) Kim and I really enjoy giving back to those less fortunate by helping the South Oakland Shelter.  SOS is located in Lathrup Village, MI and is dedicated to helping individuals and families who have fallen on hard times. Many are temporarily homeless or out of work and need a safe place to fall and to lift themselves back up.  SOS is a revolving shelter with over 50 local churches and synagogues helping to provide shelter at night, rides to work in the morning and 3 hot meals a day.

This year, for our part, we cooked meals and helped people get to work.  But we also helped with the annual conversion of our church, (Birmingham Unitarian Church), into living quarters for 30 guests for a week. At the end of the week, I received a card signed by all the guests, thanking us for an outstanding effort on their behalf. In my years working with SOS, I have never received a note with personal messages like this:

We truly felt at home”
“I am so grateful to have you on this portion of my journey”
“I love you BUC”
“Thanks for your precious time, I am truly grateful”
“You all were great”

We’re looking forward to partnering with SOS again in 2015. 

Matthew E. Chope, CFP ® is a Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt has been quoted in various investment professional newspapers and magazines. He is active in the community and his profession and helps local corporations and nonprofits in the areas of strategic planning and money and business management decisions. In 2012 and 2013, Matt was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine.

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Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed web sites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any web site or the collection or use of information regarding any web site’s users and/or members.

Slightly Off-Center: What is your favorite food?

 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.

Many items but Hummus must win as I am sad if I miss eating this daily! – Angela Palacios

Homemade Chicken Soup –Amanda Toia

Peanuts (And peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches) –Dan Boyce

Chocolate chip cookies –Jaclyn Jackson

Nachos from Comerica Park –Jennifer Hackmann

Lasagna! –Jennie Bauder

Mrs. T’s Pierogies –Kali Hassinger

A Ginger Gold apple picked right from the tree –Laurie Renchik

Lasagna! –Matt Trujillo

Salads with everything, multiple types of lettuce, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, cheese, apples, nuts, dressings –Matt Chope

Risotto is warm and comfy and always good –Melissa Joy

Mexican – love El Charros’ soft puffy tacos and enchiladas –Nancy Sechrist

Mexican, hands down!  Nothing beats a huge burrito with nachos –Nick Defenthaler

Chicago style pizza from a restaurant called Roma’s in Owosso, MI –Sandy Adams

I love most all foods and really enjoy trying new things. But my favorite will always have to be my mom’s homemade chicken enchiladas. –Melissa Parkins

Slightly Off-Center: Where did you go to school?

 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.

Birmingham (elementary and secondary); University of Michigan for Bachelors and Masters degrees –Dan Boyce

Stockbridge High & Eastern Michigan University – Go Hurons! –Gerri Harmer

University of Michigan –Jaclyn Jackson

Indiana University –Jennifer Hackmann

Davison High School and Baker College for BBA –Jennie Bauder

Grand Valley State and Eastern Michigan University –Matt Trujillo

EMU - I very much enjoyed college life. It was so freeing and an amazing adventure of finding myself - waking up to all the world could offer. –Matt Chope

Clarkston High School, Oakland University undergrad and Walsh College MBA -Laurie Renchik

High school in Kansas at Shawnee Mission Northwest. University of Michigan –Melissa Joy

Mt. Clemens High, Macomb Community College, and Central Michigan University –Nancy Sechrist

I went to high school in Livonia where I was born and raised and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Finance at Eastern Michigan University.  I also completed the necessary coursework for the Certified Financial Planner or CFP® exam through the College for Financial Planning that is based out of Denver, CO –Nick Defenthaler

Eastern MI University for undergraduate and graduate (Go Huron’s, I mean Eagles!) –Sandy Adams

Dearborn Edsel Ford High School,  Albion College and Detroit College of Law before it became Michigan State University Law School. –Tim Wyman

Grand Valley State University – go Lakers –Melissa Parkins

Slightly Off-Center: What is your secret weapon?

 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.

Creativity –Jaclyn Jackson

Sense of humor –Matt Trujillo

Eating breakfast – sounds lame but I’m a completely different person if I take the 5 – 10 minutes to at least eat something in the morning –Nick Defenthaler

Slightly Off-Center: Who’s your favorite superstar?

 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.

Who's your favorite superstar?

Warren Buffett(!)…smart, irreverent, independent-thinking. –Dan Boyce

Oprah of course! –Gerri Harmer

Mariah Carey, of course –Kali Hassinger

Superman and Clark Kent –Matt Chope

Pavel Datsyuk – in my opinion, the best hockey player in the world right now – the things he can do with the puck is amazing –Nick Defenthaler