Nine Represent Center at Raymond James Conference

The Center proudly led two separate Top Advisor Sessions at the recent Raymond James National Conference.  Matt Chope and Tim Wyman (pictured left) led a discussion about growing your business.  Dan Boyce and Melissa Joy presented "Finding, Developing, & Implementing Junior Partners."  Over 100 peers attended each session.  

With the destination of Orlando, Florida, nine team members flew south to attend the National Conference May 21st through the 25th.  The four-day event welcomed over 3,400 participants from across the nation.  The conference fosters both professional and personal development through a variety of learning sessions which are presented by both peer advisors and specialized industry experts.  

A powerful benefit of attending conferences like this is the opportunity to hear ideas from others.  Center team members get to know people over the years and learn what new ideas and innovations are working for peers.

One area of growth highlighted at this year’s national conference was technology. Raymond James and the Center for Financial Planning are making major investments in cutting edge technology that will work to the advantage of both the advising teams and Center clients.

Members of our Center team in attendance included:  Sandy Adams, Dan Boyce, Matt Chope, Marilyn Gunther, Jen Hackmann, Melissa Joy, Laurie Renchik, Tim Wyman and Troy Wyman.

Gunthers Make Landfall in Landfall

It was hard to leave our beloved Michigan, but Ron and I put down roots in Landfall, a large community  near the beach on the outer edge of Wilmington, NC.  Picture not one, but two golf courses (lovely, even though we don’t golf), a great sports facility, 25 tennis courts, pool and work out rooms (that’s where you’ll find us most days).  It’s not a traditional retirement community. In fact, we have over 1000 kids in Landfall. Our neighborhood is mostly seniors but we love the mix of ages throughout.  What we noticed early on was how friendly and welcoming the people are here.

Ron and I truly enjoy the many opportunities this university town provides—we find ourselves on campus many times a month for lectures and classical concerts, recently seeing the Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa.  We love the live theatre and the fun people the film industry brings to town plus, down here you get to hear “real” blue grass music.

But despite the beaches and beauty, Wilmington isn’t all culture and charm. Now that Wilmington is home, we also see need. I am on the board of directors for the Landfall Foundation, raising money for nonprofit organizations in our community. Luckily, this is an affluent area and the commitment of the folkshere involved in the foundation is inspiring.  Since 1995, the Foundation has given over $2.4 million to carefully screened non-profits in the areas of education, health and welfare, and the arts. Additionally, I represent our foundation on an advisory board at the University, focusing on Quality Education for Non Profit Organizations (QENO). Running seminars and classes for directors and boards of non-profits, we help them to be more effective and efficient.

Ron is taking a more hands-on approach, donating several mornings a week to our local food bank.  He is also on our neighborhood board of directors. We both find it rewarding to get involved in our new community and to have the chance to give back.

Michigan is and will always be in our blood.  We take people to task when they talk about the car industry and I proudly wear my Detroit T-shirt when I work out.  Of course, we miss home, but most of all we miss friends.  Clients are special friends, you know, and the Center is a very special place.  As I learned in Girl Scouts, “Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver the other gold”.  Aren’t we lucky to have both in our lives?  Our doors are open to visitors.  We make good tour guides and if you’re not careful, you might fall in love with Wilmington, too!

Where in the World is Marilyn Gunther?

When you retire from Michigan, it seems like you have one of two choices. Florida or Arizona. So how did we Gunthers end up with a forwarding address of Wilmington, North Carolina?  And where the heck is Wilmington, North Carolina, for that matter?

Well, it’s in the southeastern corner of the state, a little more than an hour north of popular vacation destination Myrtle Beach.  Located on the Cape Fear River, the town is surrounded on the east with inter-coastal islands and beaches. With a population of 110,000, this port town is also a college town with a beautiful campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (13,000 students) and a thriving Cape Fear Community College.

Home to a major Coast Guard Cutter, Wilmington also boasts the largest film studio outside of LA. It has a diversified economy with major facilities of Corning, Inc., General Electric and several drug research and development firms and during the last decade this area took part in the housing boom. Our climate is subtropical, sunny, and mild (think 50’s in January and 80-90 degrees in August). Trust me, Ron and I don’t have to twist any arms to get our family to come visit.

No, I didn’t take up a job with the Chamber of Commerce. And no, I’m not making a case for you to retire here too, however …

There’s a rich history too! Wilmington was the last port to close before Lee surrendered, ending the Civil War.  The town was left alone, relatively off the beaten path, and did not begin to flourish until the 1980’s when I-40 was built to bring Raleigh folks to the beaches.

For those of us who have been coming here for years, Wilmington was a well-kept secret.  The secret is out.  The beaches are pristine (a favorite of surfers), the restaurants great, the riverfront walkway fun, and the historic homes and gardens lovely.   The blend of college students, well-off young retirees, senior citizens and dock workers provide an interesting and often time colorful mix. We are not spit and polished — upon close inspection, you’ll find dirt under Wilmington’s fingernails.