People & Process - November Newsletter 2023

Past to future!  The picture here was taken at Treasure Cay in the Abaco’s spring 2017 with my wife of 43 years, Odette.  It was the last vacation we were ever to take together as I lost her 1 ½ years later.  My dad always said that “great memories can never be taken away from you”!  I now agree as those thoughts remind me still of how fortunate I was to share a life with a great wife and to have two great, adult children.  Derek (now at Silverlake) and Shannon, who recently moved from Toronto to Winchester, Massachusetts with family.  Also, three grandchildren, lots of great friends many of whom are clients of SilverLake and a future that hopefully will offer the promise of new places to explore, sports to play, and a continued great group to work with at Silverlake. 

On the business side- as we have had clients pass away this year as we do each year, it's good to remind us all to be sure to have our trusts and wills in place as we see the difference in time, aggravation and cost for those who do not. One thing most do not realize is that we do not charge our clients for helping them deal with estate planning and estate settlement.  We have deep experience in this area and spend many hours helping clients manage trusts , their disposition and the many other factors of estate settlements and preparation for getting the passing of assets to be as smooth and accurate as desired. I am proud of how our team works together to help clients in what can be a trying time, but less so if estate planning was done prior to passing.

In future- we have discovered areas that we need to improve by adding new procedures and processes in a complex business.  We cannot control global and domestic events but have had great success making sure our clients make it through the passing storms to the other side and for the rest of their lives. 

May all be well with you and yours!!   

I’ve seen a lot in my 34 years as a Financial Advisor.  From the 1990 reunification of Germany, the introduction of the Euro in 1991, the tech bubble in 1999, the global financial crisis in 2007/2008, the Covid-19 pandemic and most recently Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it’s been action packed. One thing is for sure, the future will probably be more interesting than the past. 

As I look forward to 2024, my wife Paula and I will be celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary and 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 empty nesters now that our sons, Avery and William, have moved out of state to New York City and Boston after wrapping up their hockey careers and 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 New York City. 

Instead of spending time at hockey rinks, we are now enthusiastic owners of our rescue dog, Stella, and spend much of our free time exploring the woods day or night, and taking her for swims at the beach.  After years of volunteering as a youth hockey coach, I still enjoy watching all ages play and keep in touch with many of the kids and parents I had the privilege to mentor, coach and meet along the way.  My other hobby includes sailing, having owned and sailed both an Olympic class 49er and an Australian 18-foot skiff.  If you have never seen one before, check it out here:

https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/235441/18ft-Skiffs-Supercup-Series-preview.   

With the new talent we have we have brought to the team over the past three years, I am excited for SilverLake’s future and continuing to serve our clients as fiduciaries by improving 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.

There are a few things you learn in your career, for me now over 45 years, 42 years in my current industry as a financial and investment advisor.  It was a difficult business to get started in and took many years to reach a state of satisfaction.  Despite the many ups and downs, and challenges along the way, I always sought to try and do better each year.   Working in this field has been rewarding in so many ways, such as helping clients, experiencing personal growth, providing for my family, etc., it has been a blessing. 

There was a foundation to build upon, growing up in Arlington, MA, just outside Boston, as many others can relate, learning the value of hard work.  My parents made me work from a young age, no fun…household chores, paper routes, caddying, bailing hay, moving furniture during college summers, painting houses - a lot of grunt work! Thank goodness that work run was a lot shorter than post college.   Am I grateful for those early jobs though?  No question, the work ethic learned gave me a path to always try and achieve, it transferred to academics as I studied accounting, to athletics where I trained hard and played both varsity soccer and hockey at Bentley University.  That early work ethic carried on, and it was key in establishing my career.  Pride is not one of my favorite traits, but in a narrow window and viewing success correlated to hard work, or, seeing your children accomplish their goals, I guess it’s OK. 

At the start of every year, my business goals and personal goals filter down to the same place, work hard, grow, strive to be happy. 

Aside from the hard work, I enjoy skiing, sailing, and golf. My wife, Margaret and I have three grown children with only one who remains nearby and the other two are now living in Dallas and Baltimore.  We have one grandchild and another on the way! 

My favorite motto:  “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.  Now, in 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.

Lately, I have been 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 have been with SilverLake Wealth Management from the very beginning when Bob, Ted and Jeff opened the firm in 2002. The four of us worked together at our prior firm, so in actuality we have been together for closer to 30 years. One of my many responsibilities, and my favorite, is providing customer service.  I have really been fortunate to grow friendships with our clients, which sometimes tends to lead to lengthy phone calls catching up on anything new in each other’s lives. I have been known to have the gift of gab! 

As for my life outside of work, my husband, Jonathan and I celebrated our 8^th wedding anniversary over the summer. Our blended family includes my daughter, Lydia and son, Cyrus, and my stepdaughter’s Erica and Katelynn, both of which have children of their own making me a Meme. My husband and I enjoy spending time at home where we work around our house, spend quality time gardening or challenge each other to shooting pool.  We often enjoy taking our Harley’s out for a spin on weekends as well. I truly look forward to another 20 plus years with my SilverLake Family!

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.

Heading into the holiday season, I am looking forward to spending time with family and making lasting and magical memories for my two children, Lennon and Sonny. Motherhood continues to be the ultimate joy and although I wish I could slow down time, I love watching them flourish into the smart, silly and beautiful little humans they're becoming, and I can't wait to see what adventures await us.

I joined SilverLake almost one year ago exactly and quickly become a witness to the evolution of the team, the sincerity that each advisor holds toward their clients and the collaborative efforts within the workplace.  I 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.