Holmlund Financial recently expanded its team and the long-term vets of the business are working hard to pass along their knowledge to some fresh faces.
Adrian Chapman, who has six years of experience in the financial services industry, joined Holmlund Financial mid-April as a financial advisor.
Meanwhile, Tyler Ruppenstein, who has worked with Chapman as a licensed associate for the past two years, has also joined the Holmlund Financial team.
In a few years, Susan Bodnarchuk, current owner and long-time employee of Holmlund Financial, said she plans to move to part-time work, while passing the business on to Chapman.
Bodnarchuk would like to stress that she isn’t walking away from the business anytime soon and will continue her role there for years to come.
Current employees, Jean Dick and Lori Shoemaker, also remain at Holmlund Financial.
“This will bring continuity for the business,” Bodnarchuk explained.
Holmlund Financial was started by Bruce Holmlund in 1980 and is a longstanding independent business in the Fort Frances area.
“It’s just exciting. This company will have been here for 40 years next year,” Chapman remarked.
“It’s been a rock in the community and I think both Tyler and I are really going to be able to bring some fresh eyes and further strengthen the company,” he added.
Bodnarchuk said the expansion was not only to increase the business’s capacity but also make sure it lives on in the community long after she retires.
But when Chapman does eventually take over Holmlund Financial, he said not a lot will change in its day-to-day operations.
“I’m looking to carry the business forward, bring in new strategies and continue to build great relationships with existing and new clients,” he remarked.
“We’ll continue the kind of planning that Holmlund Financial has done all along and also try to enhance that, make it better, and just bring more value to the table for our clients,” Chapman added.
He noted that now more than ever before there is an increased level of transparency within the financial planning industry, which has created even better service for clients.
A few years ago the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) introduced a new set of rules called CRM2 that changed the way investment dealers are required to report information to their clients.
Through these changes client awareness has evolved greatly.
“I personally think it’s really important for us to lay it all out there for clients,” he explained.
“Placing our clients first, full transparency and offering quality advice coupled with competitive pricing is more important than ever in our industry,” added Chapman.
“There’s more disclosure required so the clients are just better informed, and that’s a good thing,” Bodnarchuk noted.
She added that because Holmlund Financial is independent, they can select from a variety of products and services and offer the best solutions available at all stages of life.
“We are not tied to any one company,” Bodnarchuk explained.
Moving forward Chapman plans to combine his style with Holmlund Financial’s brand.
“The big plan initially is just integrate,” he said. “I want to find out where I can bring more value to the team, learn from the senior advisors and then in turn bring that knowledge back to my clients.”
The focus for Holmlund Financial is on longevity, continuing its legacy in Fort Frances and expanding its capacity for service, Bodnarchuk noted.
“We’re going to work together as a team to grow and we want our clients to grow with us,” she remarked.
