Our firm’s vision is to inspire people to achieve their life’s ambitions. We understand that given that current state, it is very difficult for our clients to stay focused on their long-term life objectives.
This global health challenge is causing tremendous financial volatility and uncertainty. Although this situation is unique, investment volatility and dramatic market decreases due to world events is not. Over the past twenty years, the U.S. has experienced the Dot-Com Recession, the events of 9/11 and the Great Recession of 2008-2009. Over this same period, we have been challenged with multiple Venezuelan financial crises, the European Debt Crisis, Russian Financial Crisis, Brazilian Economic Crisis and the Chinese Stock Market Crisis outside of the United States. Be confident that our firm has expertise in managing through times of uncertainty and volatility with our clients.
Our role is to proactively provide excellent information and to be available to our clients that are in need of advice. I am extremely pleased with the quality of our firm’s communications over the past several weeks as this crisis has evolved. You should continue to expect invaluable communication from our firm’s investment professionals and your advisor.
I wanted to provide each of you with additional information about operational measures our firm has taken as this situation has evolved. I would summarize by stating that we are first and foremost focused on the health and well-being of our people and our communities. Our next concern is being available to our clients and proactively providing them with quality information and advice. To this end, below is a summary of the actions we have taken:
- Suspended all non-essential client travel beginning on March 11
- Cancelled all internal meetings requiring travel through the month of April
- Required advisors and associates to quarantine for 14 days when returning from certain international travel
- Enhanced our capabilities to conduct effective virtual meetings
- Encouraged advisors & associates to conduct virtual meetings
- Established procedures to ensure that advisors and associates are not at risk when meeting with clients
- Stressed the importance of practicing recommended “social distancing” procedures in order to assure our communities are safe
- Enhanced our business continuity processes and procedures to assure that client service is not disrupted while our people are working remotely
- Ensured that our business partners are prepared to continue meeting our client service needs
- Encouraged advisors and associates to begin working remotely after March 15
Given the modifications we have made to our business, we are confident in our ability to not only serve our clients’ needs, but to proactively engage with them to assure that they are receiving quality and timely information.
We encourage each of you to do everything possible to protect yourselves, your families and your communities. Thank you very much for your trust and we work through these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Glenn Spencer