1st Source Asset Advisors Build Trust, Help Clients Pursue Dreams

1st Source Asset Advisors Build Trust, Help Clients Pursue Dreams

When a client turns to a professional for guidance with their finances, they are looking for more than just advice. With such a personal matter, trust, loyalty, and familiarity must be established between the client and the advisor. 1st Source Asset Advisors focus on building relationships with their clients to best help them pursue their goals. With a holistic and individual approach to financial management, the 1st Source Asset Advisors team make their jobs their passions. We spoke with Asset Advisor teammates Amy O’Brien and Jerry Del Real to get to know the ins and outs of their roles within the community and within 1st Source Bank.

Tell me a bit about your journey with 1st Source. How long have you worked here and what led you to your position?

Amy O’Brien: I began my adventure with 1st Source Bank in February of 2014 as a Banking Center Manager at the Chesterton North location. I immediately fell in love with the culture at 1st Source Bank. It is a family-oriented company that truly values the input of employees and the relationships we hold with our clients. As my career advanced, I had decided that I wanted to work more closely with clients to really help them build wealth and realize their dreams, whether that meant saving for their first home, college planning, or the mother of all saving—retirement. In 2015, I made the transition back to investment planning with 1st Source Asset Advisors, acquiring my Series 7 and 66 registrations held through LPL Financial. Since then, I have helped countless clients with their personal financial planning requirements and have found my passion in this work.

Jerry Del Real: My journey with 1st Source Bank started around the same time as Amy's in 2014 when I was hired on as a Banking Center Manager at our Frostop location in Valparaiso. In 2015, I was asked to transfer over to our new side-by-side banking location, which was being built and would be the first of its kind in Valparaiso. As my career progressed, I became more and more interested in assisting clients with investment planning. I was managing our Portage Central location when I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to partner with Amy O'Brien and join our 1st Source Asset Advisors team. I recently acquired my Series 7 and Series 66 registrations held through LPL Financial. Together, Amy and I have been helping clients with their personal financial planning.

Give me a small rundown of the work you do: what does a typical day look like for you?

AO: On a day to day basis, we work with clients in financial planning sessions, field phone calls, place trades, research new products to ensure our team stays on top of our game in the industry. Then, I add about 30 minutes of self-development work to stay sharp and focused. I travel a lot for work and take advantage of that drive time to listen to Audible – my guilty pleasure is anything that has to do with psychology!

JDR: When we are completing financial planning sessions with our current and potential clients daily, we focus on how we align their current and future financial goals. Our main objective is to dig deep and find out what their goals are and how we can successfully get them there. With that being said, Amy and I recognize that clients' goals are fluid and can change at any time. That means we also have to continue to work with our clients through various life changes and discuss their best options when goals shift.

And success is never guaranteed. What approaches do you use to help guide your customers in the right direction? What do you make of the challenges?

AO: When we work with a client, it is crucial to understand more about them than just the dollar amount they are looking to invest. Our process is one that takes longer and has no completion date but is rather an ongoing process that involves reviewing the plan, discussing changes, and implementing those changes. We take the time to get to know our clients on a deeper level. We try to get to know their spouses, their kids, their vacation plans, their concerns about life in general, and so much more. By knowing these crucial pieces of information, we are then able to craft a financial plan that aligns with their financial needs and their behavioral financial needs, as well. We’re able to set the expectations about our relationship right out of the gate so that we can coach them through turbulent times and keep them on the course we set out when things were brighter.

What is your favorite part about your job?

AO: My favorite part of my job is the relationship building with my clients. I truly value each and every one of them and am honored that they choose to work with me based on that relationship, as well as the financial planning.

JDR: I would have to agree with Amy. The relationships that we build are truly the best part of the job. In some instances, those are lifelong connections and we get the opportunity to help our clients through different stages of their lives.

What makes 1st Source Asset Advisors unique from other banks? What makes your financial advisor team stand out?

AO: 1st Source Asset Advisors is truly focused on the client, and it shows in everything we do, from the community activities we involve ourselves in to the donations we are able to provide to organizations in need. I love that we focus on more than the bottom line, and that we truly get to know our clients. Our team is knowledgeable and dedicated to ensuring that we provide straight talk and sound advice.

JDR: 1st Source Asset Advisors is very community oriented, and you can always find our colleagues out in the community volunteering. It is inspiring to work for an organization that truly makes an impact in the community it serves. With a people-first focus, we have the freedom to focus on each of our client’s goals and work together to help them pursue those goals.  We have a very knowledgeable team with a common goal: for our clients to achieve security, build wealth, and realize their dreams.

For more information on 1st Source Asset Advisors, contact Amy O'Brien (1500 South Calumet, Chesterton, IN 46304. Phone: 219-324-0137. Email: ObrienA@1stSource.com) or Jerry Del Real (1500 South Calumet, Chesterton, IN 46304. Phone: 219-476-2900. Email: Del-real-motaJ@1stSource.com).

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