News & Views
October 25, 2020
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Our receptionist, Debbie Richards, prepares a daily email called “One Small Positive Thought” and sends it out first thing each morning to encourage the team.
Check out the graphic above that she included in one of her daily emails. It features a caricature rendition of each Syverson Strege employee. This particular graphic includes a new employee “swinging” on to the team. If you look closely, you can find a special mark or feature for each person. For example, David Strege playing the cello, has a small volleyball on the bottom indicating his love of volleyball. Enlarge your screen and see how many hidden things you can find!
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Client Appreciation Virtual Event – A Special Message |
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This year, in the interest of our clients’ and employees’ health and safety, we substituted our traditional client appreciation event with a special video message released on October 6.
We want you to know how very much we appreciate you. And how glad we are that you have adapted to the ever-changing circumstances of 2020. We are truly grateful for your team effort and glad we are in this together.
If you haven’t seen the video, click below and enjoy!
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This Story Needs to Be Heard Podcasts
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Imagine you were given 30 minutes to share the most important information about your life. What would you say? What details of your life would you want people to know? Ultimately, that’s your life message.
Introducing…This Story Needs to Be Heard podcasts! The goal of the This Story Needs to Be Heard podcasts will be to highlight stories of unsung heroes who are living a life of impact within Central Iowa and the surrounding area. Perhaps these podcasts will inspire you to think about your life message.
Teree Caldwell-Johnson
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"On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free." – Congressman Dan Lipinski
To all our clients who are veterans, we honor and thank you on Veterans Day and every day of the year!
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David Strege, Lance Gunkel, Wayne Johnson, and Johnne Syverson attended the NAPFA’s (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) national virtual conference in October learning about ways to better serve existing and future clients in challenging times. |
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Johnne Syverson attended the National Association of Charitable Gift Planner virtual CGP conference, a place where charitable gift planning professionals gather annually to learn, network, and collaborate with the best in the field. |
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Financial Planner Tyler Conley and Senior Associate Financial Planner Tim Roemmich played in the recent FPA (Financial Planning Association) of Iowa golf outing on October 12. Tyler is the current president of FPA of Iowa. |
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Johnne Syverson attended the Mid-Iowa Planned Giving Council (MIPGC) conference on October 20-21. MIPGC is a professional association providing educational opportunities, training, and other resources designed to advance the field of gift and estate planning. |
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Client Orientation Workshop
Syverson Strege is offering a virtual Client Orientation Workshop for all clients, whether new or established, who want to learn more about being a Syverson Strege client.
The workshop will cover the following areas:
- How to read statements
- Tax forms
- Client portal/online access
- APS (Annual Planning Session) process
- Recordkeeping/shredding documents
- Handling charitable gifts from your IRA
You’ll be joining the workshop virtually, but you will have ample opportunity to ask questions and interact with the financial planners.
You’ll have the option of attending one of two virtual workshops on the following dates. Click on the date to register:
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The Election and Beyond: Is Your Portfolio Prepared?
Some of you were able to join the webinar “The Election & Beyond: Is Your Portfolio Prepared?” on October 13. Dr. Apollo Lupescu from Dimensional Fund Advisors did a great job of providing valuable information. Unfortunately, due to compliance issues, we were not allowed to record the webinar to share with those who were unable to attend.
Here are a few takeaways from the webinar:
- Politics touch deeply held beliefs. Acknowledging the emotions of the election is good, but it’s best to look at the data when it comes to the stock market.
- Based upon history from 1926-2019, during 23 different presidential elections, the election years had an average of an 11.3% increase in the S&P 500.
- Of those 23 elections, 19 of them had a positive stock market.
- In the remaining four negative years, something a lot bigger than the election was going on (the Depression, war, the .com bust, and the 2008 financial crisis).
- In Dr. Lupescu’s opinion, presidents should not receive credit or blame for market results.
- Tax cuts are no guarantee that they will lead to market increase; similarly, tax hikes usually do not lead to market declines.
- Things are likely going to turn out OK under either administration.
- Stocks will mostly fare well with administration changes because companies figure out ways to adjust and make money.
- History shows that the stock market can do well under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
- Dr. Lupescu’s key takeaway is that no matter what the stock market does, the most important thing is to stay healthy during the pandemic.
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Lunch & Learn: The Importance of Long-term Care Insurance
On September 17, Syverson Strege Financial Planner Tyler Conley and insurance professional Josh Heisterkamp teamed up to present a live webinar on the importance of long-term care insurance. An informative Q&A session followed the presentation. You can view this informative, educational webinar here.
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Chief Investment Officer Jason Gunkel gives a historical background on how the market has behaved as a result of presidential elections. He describes how the stock market tends to struggle in the months prior to the election, but in the following months, it tends to do well, according to Lord Abbett. Jason also reveals how the market activity three months prior to the election can sometimes be a predictor of whether the challenger or the incumbent candidate wins.
Finance Moment…Syverson Strege’s mini-podcasts to provide rapid-fire information on financial topics of the day.
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Happy Anniversary Syverson Strege! |
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The Syverson Strege team had lots of laughs, sharing, and reconnecting in the parking lot for the celebration of Syverson Strege’s 23rd anniversary! Thanks Johnne Syverson and David Strege for 23 great years and for your great vision for our company! Click here to read about the history of Syverson Strege.
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Syverson Strege welcomes our newest employee, Michael Team! As Client Service Associate, Michael will provide support to Financial Planners and Associate Financial Planners in the development of comprehensive financial plans and service to our clients.
Michael previously worked for the Auditor of State as an assistant auditor. Born in Monmouth, IL, Michael spent most of his life growing up between southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma before joining the Army in 2008. As an airborne infantryman for the 82nd Airborne Division, he spent one year in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn from August 2009 to July 2010. After leaving the Army, he attended Iowa State University and completed two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Accounting and one in Finance.
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3rd Quarter Market Update Video
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Find out how pre-election market activity can sometimes be a predictor of who wins the presidential election! In our 3rd quarter market update video, Jason Gunkel also shares insights about the stock market recovery, employee productivity rates, positive unemployment news, tech stock performance, and what history tells us about market performance after an election.
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Community Involvement/Philanthropy |
Children's Cancer Connection |
Syverson Strege sponsored a hole and sent a foursome to the Children’s Cancer Connection golf tournament at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City. It was a fun afternoon of raising funds for deserving Iowa families facing childhood cancer. All proceeds benefited Children’s Cancer Connection whose mission is to connect Iowa families affected by childhood cancer by providing opportunities that encourage relationships and strengthen community.
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In case you missed these articles on social media, here’s a recap of what we posted this past month. |
By Lance Gunkel, Managing Director
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By Adam Steen, Director of Business Development
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By Jason Gunkel, Chief Investment Officer
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As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in Iowa and around the nation, we are encouraged and are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are committed to protecting the safety of our clients and employees. We will carefully monitor the CDC and local guidelines and implement protocols necessary for the well-being of our clients and employees. We will continue to proactively send out information via email and social media as any pandemic updates are needed.
In case you missed Chief Investment Officer Jason Gunkel’s coronavirus market update since the last News & Views, click on the date below:
Have a great fall season!
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