As we approach the beginning of a new year, it’s customary to reflect and give thanks for many things in our lives, and for all that we’ve achieved in the past year, both personally and professionally. Below are some of WFA’s highlights.
WFA continues to expand our client base, reaching nearly $445MM in assets under management; an increase of $70MM over the past 12 months. Over our 38+ years, WFA’s growth has been driven largely by client referrals, which we believe is an acknowledgement of our efforts to provide a superior quality of service.
2024 brought many changes to WFA. We added a second conference room to provide space for client meetings and webinars. Ryan Komas earned his Series 65 license. University of Minnesota graduate, Russell Enea, joined WFA after working a year in New York. And, after 7 years, in recognition of his continued dedication and position with the firm, Jake Janicek joined Nick and Marilou on the firm’s letterhead.
We celebrated personal moments with our staff: Nick’s daughter, Sofia, graduated from dental school in May, and his daughter, Nina, was married in August. Jake and his wife Megan are expecting their first child in spring 2025.
Tax season is always a stressful and busy time. But we made sure to find time to don our protective eyewear and experience the 91% solar eclipse outside our office in Whitefish Bay. Marilou and her son, Luca, and daughter, Eva, traveled to Indianapolis to see the total solar eclipse.
Thanks to an invitation by WFA clients, WFA sponsored the first annual Sandbagger Classic golf outing to fundraise for Special Spaces Wisconsin. Jake, Ryan, Russ, and Wendy participated in a foursome during the event. Marilou joined the team for the evening reception where everyone learned about this charity’s goal to provide cancer-stricken children with a safe place to recover, heal, sleep, and play.
We finished the year with our second Toys for Tots toy drive. Our staff enjoyed shopping for the kids and made a donation larger than last year. Special thanks to Sadie Bishop for organizing our drive. We look forward to participating again next year.
Looking ahead to 2025, as we approach half a billion under management, staff development will be a key focus. We hope to expand our staff size by one or two people. In addition, certain staff are expecting to receive their industry credentials. We will also focus on implementing industry compliance best practices, like updating client agreements and objectives as well as obtaining Trusted Contacts and picture ID for all clients.
Education is a core value of WFA’s; educating our staff as well as our clients. Aligned with this value, we continue to expand the content available on our website and LinkedIn page. We will continue offering live webinars each month, and posting an archive version on our YouTube channel. All educational content, including live webinars, are public facing. Feel free to share links and invitations with friends and family that can benefit from the information, or encourage them to schedule a free consultation to discuss their specific questions.