Once a quarter, we like to give a team update to let you know what’s going on in our lives both personally and professionally. Here’s what the first quarter of 2018 looked like for us.
Last month, Michelle wrapped up the extensive volunteer work she was doing with the Rotary Club of Salem in procuring auction items for their major fundraising event (as mentioned in our other blog post). She helped her family relocate from the coast inland to Eugene and is looking forward to having them closer. She flew to Colorado to visit extended family where she experienced her only snow of the season. Michelle continues her volunteer work with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as support group and class facilitator.
After an intentionally low key holiday season, Katherine is jumping into 2018 with both feet. Her goal for this year is “positive transformation.” With that in mind, she began the year being educated and inspired at TEDxSalem, feeling empowered at a two-day women’s conference and re-upping her commitment to making her community a better place. She continues to improve her professional abilities through continuing education and participating in HIFON, a nationwide network of likeminded professionals.
Brenna continues to watch in amazement as her daughter somehow turned 1 on St. Patrick’s Day. Where does the time go?! When she’s not chasing Mika, she’s busy heading up the marketing of the firm in addition to serving our client families. This spring, she enjoyed speaking to young female students from Willamette University who are majoring in in typically male-dominated fields (economics, finance, etc.); she attended board training to help in her role as Treasurer of the Chemeketa Foundation and continued in her volunteer efforts with the Financial Planning Association.
After a somewhat hectic start of the year, resetting trust distributions, IRA RMD’s and preparing some initial tax reporting, Larry and Laurie spent two weeks in Maui. They enjoyed golfing with other Salem friends who happened to be on the island, snorkeling, lounging by the pool and exploring various parts of the island. The best was the whale watching. Mid-December though mid-May, the Humpback whales come in for calving. It was impossible to look at the ocean for any length of time and not see whales. Now that reality has set back in, Larry is busy preparing for a retirement seminar that he will be giving to the Marion Polk Dental Society and helping many of our clients navigate tax season.