Greetings!
Greetings from Woodward Financial Advisors! We hope this e-newsletter finds you well and enjoying summer. In this edition of the WFA newsletter, meet our newest team member, discover what Ben Birken is up to on his August sabbatical, and learn about the recent opportunities the WFA Team has pursued to further grow and develop.
WFA Welcomes Nikki Perkinson
We are excited to announce that Nicole "Nikki" Perkinson recently joined Woodward Financial Advisors as our dedicated Client Experience Specialist. In addition to managing various firm projects, Nikki will be the go-to team member for anything related to custodial paperwork and assisting clients with distributions and deposits. Her presence enables WFA to continue to elevate our level of service to clients.

Please join us in welcoming Nikki to WFA! The following "favorites" and questions will help you get to know her a bit better.

What’s the last book you’ve read, or book you are reading right now? The last book I read was The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

Favorite charity to support? I love giving back to organizations to help fight childhood cancer and Ronald McDonald House.

Favorite weekend activity? Spending time outside, going to brunch, and not having a specific time to be somewhere!

Favorite recipe to make? I love making a simple pound cake and a recipe called chocolate lasagna (it has layers of chocolate with whip cream topping)
  
Favorite vacation destination? My husband, Nathan, and I took a trip to Colorado about three years ago and I would go back there any time!

Favorite restaurant in the Triangle? Gonza Tacos

Favorite sport to play/watch? I love watching football and love playing tennis!

Favorite board game? Ticket to Ride and Catan

Famous person whom you’ve met? Where/how? Joanna Teplin, from the Home Edit. She came in to take a Pure Barre class over Thanksgiving when I was there. Many people may not know her (I was the only one at the time who knew her when she came into the studio) but she has worked with many famous people with her professional organization business and has a TV show!

Best concert you’ve been to? Mumford and Sons and the Lumineers (tie)

Do you have pets? Yes!! Piper! She is a 3-month-old golden retriever.

Who do you admire/look up to? My dad, he is very hardworking and provided well for our family. He has taught me a lot about life: what it looks like to be a hard worker, to dream, and to be ready for when life throws you changes.

What was your first job? Lifeguard at the local YMCA

You have a (free) round-trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world - where do you go? I really want to visit Italy, Switzerland, and Greece so if I could, I would visit all three!
Ben Birken to Enjoy Sabbatical #2
One of the unique employee benefits at Woodward Financial Advisors is the firm’s sabbatical policy, whereby employees are entitled to a one-month paid sabbatical on top of their regular vacation time every five years. In July, Ben will be the first WFA employee to take advantage of the firm’s sabbatical policy for the second time. He and his family will escape the Chapel Hill late summer humidity to explore England and Sweden, before returning home right before school starts again in August. 
Maggie Wilkins to Welcome Baby Girl #2
At some point in July, Maggie Wilkins will begin a three month maternity leave to welcome Baby Girl #2 into the world and the Wilkins family. She is grateful to her teammates for helping out with extra responsibilities and keeping the office running in her absence. She has made the team promise they will always have chocolate available for you in the lobby!

Maggie's husband, Chad, and 2.5-year-old daughter, Vivian, eagerly await their new family member's arrival. Stay posted for an email update from WFA once Baby is born (and Maggie and Chad decide on a name).

Interesting fact: of the four other WFA team members with children, Maggie is the first to break the streak of having a firstborn girl, followed by a second born boy.
What's Been Going On at Woodward?
The following are a few things that happened behind the scenes at WFA this last quarter:

  • In May, Ben attended the 2019 Spring Conference of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) in Austin, TX. Standout sessions included how to best help executors before and during estate administration, a presentation from Dr. Marc Milstein on how to keep aging brains young and lowering the risk for Alzheimer’s, and a number of talks on improving client service and the client experience. And as a bonus, as part of the conference, Ben recorded a live episode of the podcast that he and another planner produce to help other advisors hone their craft. 

  • Jim Miller attended the TD Ameritrade "Elite Conference" in California in early June. This annual event brings together 200 of the best wealth management firms in the country, where topics include technology, planning and leadership. It didn’t disappoint this year with lots of learning and networking opportunities.

  • Ben was recently nominated and accepted to the TD Ameritrade Client Experience Panel. This select group of advisors meets 3-4 times per year to provide feedback to TD Ameritrade on how they can best serve both advisors and clients, ranging from technology offerings to improved account opening processes to statement design.

  • WFA was once again named to the Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisors. We are honored to be recognized!
Thank you for reading our July e-newsletter! We wish you a happy Independence Day!

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Woodward Financial Advisors
Woodward Financial Advisors
1504 East Franklin Street, Suite 105, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
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