On Thursday, May 8, Oak Partners, Inc. staff members joined members of the St. John-Dyer Chamber of Commerce at Oak Partners’ new St. John location to hold an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The establishment of the St. John branch, which opened in October of last year, marks the start of a new era for the financial advisory services firm.
Maya Guernsey, Oak Partners' communications coordinator and assistant for Wealth Advisor Mike Vera, stated that the ribbon cutting will serve another purpose beyond solely celebrating the building’s opening.
“St. John is up-and-coming, so this is definitely a good place to open a new branch,” Guernsey said. “This ribbon-cutting ceremony helps Oak Partners get our name out there a little bit more, especially in this area. A lot of people are aware of our Crown Point location, but now they’re going to know that we have other locations as well.”
This is the third location that Oak Partners has opened in the Region. It offers both Indiana and Illinois residents easy access to the firm’s services. Oak Partners has been serving Northwest Indiana residents for the past 32 years, offering its clients a multitude of financial services, including investment management, wealth and retirement planning, and financial planning.
Situated just off 93rd Avenue and Route 41, Oak Partners’ newest branch is in an excellent central location. St. John is a thriving community and has seen a significant amount of development in recent years. Jess Wotherspoon, executive assistant at Oak Partners, said that moving further west is a smart choice for the company, as it will enable the advisors to both retain current clientele and develop new relationships.
“This is a great location,” Wotherspoon said. “This is another great opportunity for us to grow. Because we're growing so fast, it feels like this is another area where a lot of our clients are.”
Wotherspoon developed the interior design of the new space and is quite pleased with the final result. The new location boasts a reception area, multiple offices, and two conference rooms.
Vera is an Oak Partners wealth advisor and the head advisor at the St. John location. No stranger to the finance world, Vera was a private client advisor for J.P. Morgan for 17 years before joining Oak Partners six months ago. Now that he is at Oak Partners, he can work more closely with clients, a fact he finds refreshing.
“Growing within a new market space is both exciting and challenging,” Vera said. “Oak Partners took a growth step by establishing a location in St. John, an affluent area that is thriving, growing, and populated with retirees. A lot of Illinois residents are moving over the state line, and St. John is a wonderful place for them to come to. My client base is primarily in Illinois, so the St. John branch’s proximity to the state line made it a good fit for me.”
Jeff Hadt, a wealth advisor at Oak Partners and a Schererville native, emphasized the importance of giving back to the community he hails from.
“We want to support the community,” Hadt said. “The way we can invest in it is by helping our clients through financial situations, whatever they may be.”
If you are interested in learning more about Oak Partners’ financial services and upcoming events, please visit oakpartners.com.
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.
