August 2021 – The Flexible Advisor

Ep 62: Developing and Retaining Next Gen Talent — With Yonhee Gordon

By The Flexible Advisor | August 27, 2021

While firms may be successful in hiring younger employees, they often struggle to keep them.

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk about successful retention strategies with Yonhee Gordon, a Principal of JMG Financial Group and the RIA’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. They discuss how a methodical hiring process and a willingness to truly get to know prospective candidates can help lead to fewer surprises and better retention. Yonhee also provides practical advice for young professionals on preparing for a successful career in the financial industry.

Yonhee Gordon discusses:

What’s powering JMG’S fast growth of assets and staff
The need to create more awareness of the profession
Her passion for connecting people both inside and outside of the industry
Steps to help find the right fit when hiring
The evolution of career paths in the advisory industry
And more

Resources:

Connect With Yonhee Gordon:

Connect With Laura Gregg:

Connect With David Partain:

About Our Guest:

Yonhee Gordon is Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at JMG Financial Group, an RIA with more than $4 billion in AUM located in suburbs of Chicago. Yonhee is also a principal owner of the firm, a member of its Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and spearheads JMG’s involvement in community service. She focuses her efforts on organizational development to ensure the sustainability of JMG’s long-term operations. Yonhee is a certified financial planner and prior to her current role, she served as a financial advisor to clients at JMG by providing tax and wealth management services.

Yonhee is a sought-after speaker throughout the industry and is a board member for many organizations including Dominican University, The Foundation for Financial Planning, Charles Schwab’s inaugural DEI Advocacy Board and Almost Home Kids (affiliated with the Anne & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Outside of business, Yonhee enjoys travelling with her husband and two sons and volunteering for nonprofit organizations that benefit special-needs children.

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Ep 61: Four Pillars of DE&I from the CFP Board’s Center for Financial Planning – With D.A. Abrams

By The Flexible Advisor | August 20, 2021

Building a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program (DEI), can be a daunting task. Leaders understand that it’s so much more than just hiring people that look different from one another.

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome D.A. Abrams, Managing Director at the CFP Board’s Center for Financial Planning. He identifies four key pillars that are necessary to build and sustain a DE&I program. D.A. also discusses why this should be a business imperative and how firms of all sizes will benefit over time by acting with intention today. Learn how to gain a competitive edge over other firms that aren’t taking action on DE&I today.

D.A. Abrams discusses:

The mission of the CFP Board’s Center for Financial Planning
Four critical pillars of engagement in a DE&I program
How to use geography to your advantage when expanding your business
Why to invest in career changers
Mentorship opportunities through the Center for Financial Planning
And more.

Resources:

Connect with D.A Abrams

D.A. Abram’s LinkedIn

Connect With Laura Gregg:

Connect With David Partain:

About Our Guest:

Managing Director, Center for Financial Planning

David Anthony (D.A.) Abrams, CAE joined the CFP Board as Managing Director for the Center for Financial Planning in November 2019. In his role, D.A. is responsible for the following: Cultivating a quality workforce to ensure the profession can recruit and retain the talent it needs to grow; Fostering a more diverse financial planner workforce that reflects the changing demographics in the United States; and Elevating the discipline of financial planning to increase the stature and recognition of financial planning faculty and educational programs and provide practitioners with cutting-edge knowledge to thrive and provide outstanding service to clients.

D.A. is the immediate past Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), a position he assumed in February 2012 and concluded prior to joining the CFP Board. During his 26 years with the USTA, D.A. served as the Executive Director and Chief Staff Executive for two (2) of the Association’s 17 Section offices; USTA Eastern, and USTA Missouri Valley.

In addition, D.A. served as the staff member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Hispanic Engagement Advisory Group, National Committee Appointment Process and was chair of the D&I Advisory Group at the USTA. Further, he was the chair of the USTA’s Accreditation Review Committee.

Moreover, D.A. serves as the National Association of Asian American Professionals Board of Directors – Treasurer and is a Board Member of Diversity MBA. Also, D.A. is a former President of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium.

He played collegiate tennis at Millersville University in Pennsylvania where he earned his undergraduate degree in business administration, concentration – accounting. Subsequently, D.A. earned a master’s degree from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, MN. D.A. earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2010.

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Ep 60: Savvy Ladies – Help a Woman in Just One Hour a Month – With Judy Herbst

By The Flexible Advisor | August 13, 2021

Savvy Ladies strives to empower women by providing free financial literacy education to all women, regardless of age or income level. The nonprofit has helped more than 20,000 women of varied-backgrounds through their volunteer network of financial planners that answer key questions during times of transition which has helped put women on the path to financial literacy and security.

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with Judy Herbst, Executive Director of Savvy Ladies to learn about the organization and how financial professionals from across the country are helping women create better financial outcomes for themselves and their families.

Judy Herbst discusses:

The history of Savvy Ladies
Who Savvy Ladies serves and how its mission has grown
How advisors are making an impact in women’s lives
The new community of financial professionals growing from this work
Virtual engagements makes volunteering less time consuming
And more

Resources:

FlexShares Exchange Traded Funds

Connect With Judy Herbst:

Connect With Laura Gregg:

Connect With David Partain:

About Our Guest:

Judy Herbst is the executive director of Savvy Ladies. She has over 20 years of relationship-building experience working with iconic brands such as Tiffany & Co, American Girl, and Worthy.com. Judy develops astounding programs and initiatives that educate and raise awareness about important issues affecting women, parents, and families.

She comes to Savvy Ladies with great knowledge and experience working with women throughout her career and brings her business acumen and creative, marketing & client relationship savviness along with her proven success record in developing, driving and executing business growth initiatives.