People & Process - August 2023 Newsletter

Anticipating the upcoming year, 2024 fills me with a vibrant sense of excitement and optimism, fueled by my unshakable confidence in Silverlake's continuous enhancement across all fronts. As a dedicated global observer, I derive immense gratification from staying abreast of world events and the emergence of transformative industries poised to revolutionize solutions for pressing health challenges. Beyond my professional pursuits, I immerse myself in a rich tapestry of personal interests, from relishing Pickleball, boating, golf, and immersive travel experiences to embracing the coziness of my winter workspace in Florida. However, a central tenet of my life revolves around an intensified commitment to meaningful philanthropy, where I am devoted to significantly amplifying my involvement in initiatives dedicated to supporting Veterans, championing animal welfare, and addressing crucial healthcare needs. This holistic approach epitomizes my enduring enthusiasm for holistic growth, boundless exploration, and leaving a positive imprint on the world.

Upcoming in 2024, my wife Paula and I are planning our first trip to Alaska to visit friends.  While there, we plan to go site seeing and salmon fishing on the Russian River. We are now empty nesters with both of our sons, Avery and William, having moved out of state to NYC and Boston after graduating from college. William is working at Fidelity Investments as a Customer Relationship Advocate and Avery is a Financial Consultant with Strategic Financial Solutions in NYC.  With our new found freedom, perhaps after our trip to Alaska we will find our way to Sydney and watch the 18 foot sailing skiffs race in the harbor – a bucket list trip of mine!  Though for now, I will enjoy my interests locally; going for hikes, watching hockey, and most importantly, to grow SilverLake by continuing to build and improve our team-oriented financial planning and portfolio management services for our clients!

Every decade of life seems to have a theme.  Mine at this point is reflection.  Three sports in college, three wonderful daughters, a year in Public Service, but one reflection is my junior year at UVM I saw a local Freshman Co-Ed sitting on a park bench on the green.  For several weeks I passed her and said hello but did not have the courage to sit and chat. Finally, I stopped and asked if I could look at the financial section of the New York Times she was reading.  I had no idea of what I was reading as my major was teaching, not business. 51 years later the NY Times was the facilitator that has brought me a 36-year career in finance and a lovely wife of 51 years.

Let’s just say, there’s a few things you learn in your business life, post college, aggregating to over 45 years so far, 42 years in my current industry, which upon reflection takes me to a state of satisfaction, with all the ups and downs. That gets me in a lane where the inner wise man in me says that’s close enough to happiness, the ultimate goal. Now, pre-college work, did I have the same reflection? Nope! My parents made me work from a young age, no fun…household chores, big paper route at ages 10-12, caddying, bailing hay, moving furniture for a moving company during college summers, painting houses (the best one). Thank goodness that work run was a lot shorter than post college. Am I grateful for those early jobs though? No question! It set the foundation for valuing hard work. It gave me a path to try and achieve, it transferred to athletics where I trained hard and captained both varsity soccer and hockey at Bentley University, winning the school’s Athlete of the Year, and being inducted in Bentley’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Pride is not one of my favorite traits but in a narrower window and correlated to hard work, or children accomplishments, I guess it’s OK. At the start of every year my business goals and personal goals filter down to the same place, striving to do well for my clients and striving to be happy. When the bumps come, usually I’ll hit the reset button and go skiing, sail, golf, or do stuff with my wife and family. When battles confront me, I will eventually reflect and say my favorite motto to myself, “attitude is everything”.

As an alumnus, my favorite sports team is the Fighting Irish football team from The University of Notre Dame. I always try to attend at least one game every year, preferably homecoming with friends and family.  With my youngest son about to enter his third year there, it holds even more importance.  Having five children and our youngest starting her first year of college, for the first time in over 25 years my wife Cyndy and I are “empty nesters”.  Over the years, I played the role of hockey-dad, dance-dad, tennis-dad, theater cheerleader, music dad, uber driver and moving company and have loved every second. This last year I was considered a “pageant dad” having two of my daughters simultaneously win Miss Vermont and Miss Teen Vermont 2022.  As we head into the second half of 2023, I look forward to continuing building relationships with my clients to work towards their financial goals. 

After spending nearly 19 years with the Vermont Lake Monsters, I took my consultative approach to the world of wealth management when I joined SilverLake Wealth Management three years ago.

Regardless of whether it has to do with life or investing, I believe that time is your most valuable asset and you should take advantage of every opportunity you get.

So, I focus on providing ideas, options, and opportunities to enhance the lives of my clients. There’s nothing more rewarding than helping great people feel more comfortable about their unique financial situation and helping them achieve their financial goals.

As 2023 comes to a close, I look forward to providing as much value as possible to my clients and my professional network, while enjoying as much time with my family as possible. If covid taught me anything, it was that time is precious and life is too short.

As school starts back up, I am looking forward to cheering on my four children during their fall sports seasons and creating memories with them. From day trips to vacations, sporting events and concerts, I am excited to squeeze in what we can between all the sports activities!

Eventually, I’d like to return to Brisbane, Australia in 2032 when they host the summer Olympics. This is significant to me, because in 2000 I studied abroad in Brisbane, spending much of my time volunteering for the USA Track & Field Olympic team during their pursuit for gold. It’s always been a dream of mine to go back and experience it with my family.  

My wife Emily and I are joyfully anticipating the arrival of our second child this December 2023. As we turn the page to 2024, we look forward to embracing the world anew with our newborn and adjusting to the expanded dynamics of our family. Undoubtedly, there will be exciting shifts for all of us, especially for our firstborn, Hunter, who is eagerly preparing for his new role as a big brother.

On the horizon in 2024, we've planned our first international excursion (beyond Canada) since the onset of the pandemic. We're thrilled about taking the entire family on an adventure to Acapulco in April.

Professionally, I'm committed to the continued growth of SilverLake, capitalizing on our team's collaborative approach to financial planning. My aim is to help clients make informed decisions about their wealth, taking into account the entirety of their financial situations. This comprehensive perspective enables clients to view their financial picture holistically, facilitating the best decisions for their future.

Currently, I'm diligently working towards my Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification, with an ambitious goal to sit for the board exam in March 2024. This certification will further equip me to provide exceptional service and advice to our clients, strengthening both their financial stability and future.

In 2024, I am excited to embark on a new chapter as I transition from condo living to purchasing a house, a move that is very exciting. In my work, I'm committed to getting closer to clients, building stronger relationships, and giving them exceptional service. Outside of work, my passion for the Montreal Canadiens remains unwavering, a loyalty that stems from my college days in Quebec where I discovered the exhilarating world of hockey and the camaraderie of fellow fans. When I'm not immersed in the world of sports, I find solace boating, hiking, golfing, and riding my motorcycle. One lesser-known fact about me is that I enjoy following rockets/rocket launches and space events. On my bucket list, I am determined to witness the breathtaking Northern Lights in person, a phenomenon that has always captivated my imagination and promises an awe-inspiring experience like no other.

I am an avid Red Sox fan following in my mom’s footsteps who would watch every game and keep a log of how each player did.  My first visit to the “Green Monster” was just within the last 10 years or so.  I have never actually written down my “Bucket List”, but one item for certain on it is to visit Ireland. With Irish in my blood, it only seems right that I visit!  The amazing pictures I have seen just adds to my wish to visit someday.  In 2021, my husband and I sold our townhouse and purchased a single-family home in a neighboring town.  And since our relocation, we have tried our luck at gardening, which has proven to be incredibly rewarding - to be able to grow a lot of our own vegetables has been wonderful!

I was born and raised in this area later marrying my high school sweetheart, and we will be celebrating our 48th anniversary this year!  We have raised three children and now have four grandchildren.  I am an avid quiltmaker, enjoy gardening and love a great book.  I am also a puzzle making maniac. I recently reduced my work schedule to three days a week and I am enjoying the extra time off to enjoy my hobbies and time with my family.  I hope to one day plan a trip to take Highway 1 from Maine to the Florida Keys.

2022-2023 brought many exciting changes to my life.  I welcomed my second child in July 2022, a little boy we named Sonny, who now is a year old and chasing after his older sister, Lennon.  Lennon fell in love instantly with Sonny from the moment they met, and she has become a caring, nurturing and helpful older sister ever since.  Motherhood has been the ultimate joy and although I wish I could slow down time, I am also looking forward to all the adventures that await us.  I began working with SilverLake upon return to the workforce in November 2022 after employment at the Burlington Country Club for eight years prior, working my way from the Event Sales Coordinator up to the Sales & Marketing Director at the time of my departure.  I now am looking forward to growing with and assisting in the growth of SilverLake Wealth Management and to see where the firm will be in another 20 years.  In the little spare, uninterrupted time that I seem to find these days, I’ve become a passionate reader, currently on my twelfth book since the beginning of 2023!