The view of the sunset on Cedar Lake from the private second floor dining room lay a perfect scene for Oak Partners, Inc.’s clients to toast to a solid first half at the annual Halftime Report dinner and presentation at The Lighthouse Restaurant.
The annual event is the mid-year complement to Oak Partners’ January Kickoff event, inviting clients to enjoy an evening together and learn about the plans for the quarters ahead.
“The Lighthouse provides the environment we desire to have 130 people together to communicate where we’re at and where we’re going,” said Wealth Advisor and Partner Clint Henry.
“It’s one of our favorite places and provides a great view for a nice dinner to just see what’s going on,” client Vicki Brown said. “I can be kind of naïve about this stuff. Bridget [Shoemaker] keeps me abreast of whatever we need to know throughout the year, and I rely on them to take care of everything, so it’s nice to do a little check-in.”
“It’s a great way for us to come together,” Wealth Advisor and Partner Bridget Shoemaker said. “This way we keep everybody posted and let them know what’s going on.”
The presentation that followed dinner, drinks, and mingling focused on “The Anatomy of a Recession.”
“With the recent market volatility, a lot of people are afraid of what’s going to happen moving forward,” Henry said. “We’ll go over some data as well as signals we see.”
“We’re tapping into the general vibe of the client base and investors in general,” Ruiz said. “We thought right now is a timely opportunity to talk about concerns about recession since that seems to be on everybody’s mind.”
Presenting Partners Marc Ruiz and Clint Henry candidly handled the subject with a heavy dose of levity.
“Marc and I have a good relationship since we’ve worked together so long—people like how we interact with each other,” Henry said. “That dynamic helps us get our message across. It’s why our clients are entertained and engaged.”
Oak Partners puts relationships first, building rapport through educational and recreational events all year long.
“They’re a great group. Getting personal attention is very easy. I can just call and say, ‘I don’t understand—can you explain?’ and they do,” Brown said. “But I’m more geared toward the fun stuff.”
Brown enjoyed the Skating Night Oak Partners hosted in Crown Point earlier in the year, where she was able to have some fun with her grandchildren.
“They have great events,” Brown said. “The skating event was awesome.”
Crystal DeHaven, Oak Partners’ Director of Client Experience, hyped the crowd for their upcoming “Inspiring Retirement” event, where clients who own RVs will set up in the parking lot like they’re camping.
“Like tailgating?” one client asked from the audience. “Like tailgating,” DeHaven agreed.
“A lot of our clients have been interested in RVs, so they’ll take tours and hear about everyone’s adventures,” DeHaven said. “Who doesn’t love to talk about their trips?”
The relationship between clients and advisors is one of friendly, frank conversation. DeHaven praised the clients for contributing feedback and announced that the RV event came from an idea suggested by a client.
“We’re dedicated to keeping our clients educated and informed, so the ongoing events process has always been a part of who we are,” DeHaven said. “We’re always looking to entertain our clients as well as bring them the education. We like to do recreational events and spend time with them.”
As Oak Partners prepares to celebrate 25 years of service in November, DeHaven invited the audience to attend yet another event that will feature both an economist and live music. Blending entertainment and education is a major point-of-difference for this firm and their clients.
If you are interested in learning more about Oak Partners, Inc. visit https://www.oakpartners.com/.
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.
