Research Magazine found the special blend of empathy, integrity, discipline and an attitude of gratitude that made these financial advisors inductees into our 20th Annual Advisor Hall of Fame, written by Ellen Uzelac.
Jeff Erdmann oversees an astounding $4 billion in AUM, and is consistently ranked among Merrill Lynch's top three advisors, but it is perhaps the empathy he has for clients that makes him Hall of Fame material. He describes as "malpractice" the current fashion of pruning one's book of smaller clients. "First and foremost, you need to do what's right and take care of the people who got you where you are."
Stephen Johnson has known adversity — for example, the hardscrabble life of a dairy farmer managing Bessie the Cow in the wee hours of a frigid Colorado night. More significantly, he is familiar with the challenges and rewards of raising a severely handicapped child to adulthood. Such experiences have brought a sensitivity and integrity to his dealings with clients. Says Johnson: "I've never made a decision based on what's best for me; it's always been what's right for the client first."
Mitchell Kauffman exemplifies an attitude of gratitude and caring for clients, which is all the more impressive in that his early life experiences, including abandonment as a child, could have reinforced a sense of resentment and failure. From pumping gas and bagging groceries, Kauffman turned himself around and established a record of educational and professional accomplishment that has been a boon to his clients.
Bryan Sweet brims with determination and discipline. "Everything about Bryan is long-range and planned out," says Jeff Greischar, a longtime client. When nearly all your clients are retired or within five years of that milestone, those are exactly the attributes you need in an advisor. Because most people recoil from mapping out the steps they need in their retirement journey, Sweet's the kind of advisor you want on your side.
Freeman Welch has experienced hard knocks in life, but he's benefited from unprovoked kindness. Perhaps that is why the personable and "in the moment" FA (as his client associate describes him) cares so much for his clients. As he himself puts it: "When my phone rings, I know it's someone I like and someone who likes me. Maybe I have all their assets and maybe I don't — but it's a great relationship."
