About Gary Cates

I'm proud to be a Thrivent financial professional. I provide personalized financial guidance to people at all stages of life. At Thrivent, we view money not as a goal, but as a tool — one that can afford you a life rich in meaning and gratitude. We believe humanity thrives when individuals make the most of all they've been given. I'm here to help you do just that.

Raised in Illinois but have deep roots in the lovely state of Michigan. Illinoisan by choice, Lions fan by heart! I grew up in small town Mackinaw, Illinois and graduated high school there. Then, I enrolled in Illinois State University with a major in Marketing. Go Redbirds!

During this time, I also joined the Illinois Army National Guard. Both of my grandfather and great-grandfather served, and I wanted too as well. After my training, I was soon shipped off overseas to Afghanistan in 2019 and the 2020 Presidential Inauguration. I made a plethora of friends and learned a lot about responsibility and accountability.

I am passionate for current and past soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen/airwomen. I love working with recent graduates as well as new families. Outside of work you can find me at a local Crunch Fitness or golf course. I also love to travel and recently visited Kenya, highly recommend a safari if you haven't!

Hope to connect with you soon!

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Thrivent provides advice and guidance through its Financial Planning Framework that generally includes a review and analysis of a client’s financial situation. A client may choose to further their planning engagement with Thrivent through its Dedicated Planning Services (an investment advisory service) that results in written recommendations for a fee.

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