When I was a young child, my grandmother was my best friend, not because of the things she could do for me, but because of her kind and generous heart. I learned to cook in her kitchen, a skill I still love, and how to treat others from her example. She’s probably the reason my favorite kind of clients are ones who are thankful for their good fortune and know that everything we have is a gift from God. Watching my clients see how they can make a difference in the lives of others, both now and in the future, is one of the most fulfilling parts of my long career in helping people make the most of what they have. 

My father died when I was 23, leaving my mom, who was too young to access his social security benefits, no life insurance, or really, any income. As a stay-at-home wife and mom, she had few marketable skills and went to work in the school lunchroom, doing what she knew, cooking for a crowd. This experience is probably the reason I was drawn to a career in finance in my early twenties and why helping widows and widowers is a calling for me. As a wife, mother and now, a grandmother whose grands call “Sweetie,” I also like working with people, like me, who are getting closer to retirement, or who have recently entered retirement. It’s a big change for anyone and it helps to have someone with financial knowledge walk your path with you.