Earlier this year, I talked a lot about why we changed our name to Stewards Planning Group. It was important to align our brand with our firm’s greater purpose, and I felt called to place less emphasis on my last name in order to focus on the collective impact of our team. While I understood that the mission of Stewards Planning Group is big, I never expected people to gravitate toward our new name—and what it stands for—so quickly. The response from our friends, families, clients and partners has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has led to some exciting new opportunities among our peers.
I’m proud to announce that we have acquired a financial planning firm in Iowa City, formerly called Smith Financial Services. Founded by Jim Smith, the firm shares our focus on values-driven, tax-intelligent financial planning, but more importantly, a commitment to guiding clients toward contentment, purpose and generosity by teaching the principles of stewardship. Jim has been my peer for many years through our mutual affiliation with Avantax, a Cetera company, and after announcing our new name, Jim expressed a desire to be part of Stewards Planning Group’s mission.
To me, this is affirmation that our firm is at the start of something big. We’re committed to growing not simply for the sake of growth but for the purpose of maximizing the impact on our clients and communities. By attracting other like-minded financial advisors, we can help thousands of people across the country steward their resources well and experience enjoyment and fulfillment in the process.
It’s our privilege to welcome Financial Advisor Jim, his son and Registered Representative Johann, and Client Services Assistant Karyn Fulton to the Stewards Planning Group team and to expand our purpose-driven message into Iowa City.