Whether it’s performing a powerful song, running a competitive race, or preparing a memorable meal, predicting the outcome is not as simple as analyzing the notes, strides or ingredients that make it that way. Things need to occur in a certain way.
A similar case can be made about the individuals who make up the wealth management team at Tower Circle Partners (TCP) of Janney Montgomery Scott.
At first glance, the team members – Executive Vice President/Financial Advisor Steven Glasgow, Vice President/Financial Advisor Jordan Sibler and Account Executive Danielle Garofolo - don’t appear to have a lot in common. But while they may be driven by different interests, they share common values and a genuine appreciation for the varied interests of their client base.
“There are still a lot of people in the wealth management field who work as individuals,” says Glasgow. “And while technical knowledge is important, when you’re dealing with people and their money, that only goes so far. The team concept, with personalities working together who understand what it’s like to have different ambitions, goes a long way. A team can be more empathetic to a client’s personal goals.”
One of the ways TCP addresses important personal objectives is by taking a holistic approach to wealth management. Technical elements, such as tax minimization strategies, cash-flow management, retirement income, insurance planning and business succession plans are executed according to the client’s needs. Then the client’s personal values are taken into account when considering aspects such as legacy wishes, charitable giving and life goals.
“We work closely with our client’s estate attorneys, CPAs and other advisors to help ensure that all facets of the client’s financial plan are being implemented properly,” says Glasgow. “These additional layers set us apart from most of our peers.”
The team that would eventually become Tower Circle Partners formed in 2005 when Glasgow and Sibler worked together managing institutional investment assets and focusing on corporate retirement plans. They have worked together ever since, with stops at two other firms before landing at Janney in 2018. Today they manage over $3.2 billion in assets. According to Glasgow, the TCP team’s success begins with the mutual respect and camaraderie that comes from a decade of working together.
“This is a stressful job so, if we’re not having a good time, it shows,” he says. “That means being in the right frame of mind and knowing when it’s OK to be lighthearted. Clients need to see you as a source of strength. If you’re unhappy, they’ll know it.”
Their diverse interests away from the office keep the team fresh, energized, and motivated. Glasgow is a musician at heart. Sibler is a competitive athlete and Garofolo is a veritable student of the finer points of fine cuisine.
Glasgow has played guitar for most of his life. Though not a Nashville native, he’s lived here for nearly 30 years and is perhaps one of the few guitarists in town not striving to be the next big thing. “I gave up hopes of being a professional musician when I was in college and realized the route to success is narrow,” he says. “I do it to blow off steam. I’m 56 in dog years but still 18 in my mind.” He’s amassed a nice collection of guitars along the way. Among his favorites are a Gibson Les Paul, a Kramer and a Jackson. He can play Van Halen’s “Eruption,” much to the chagrin of his wife and two grown children. He also enjoys martial arts and claims to play golf “really badly.”
Sibler swam competitively in high school but gave up the sport upon being admitted to Vanderbilt, which did not have a team. The Baltimore native has resided in the Nashville area ever since. “My transition from swimming to running is a function of having three young children,” he says. “Finding time to get out of the house is tough enough, but going to the pool is harder.”
These days he runs around Brentwood where he and his wife raise three children, ages 3-11. He also runs the occasional marathon. In January he is taking the family to Walt Disney World for the Dopey Challenge, a four-day event that includes a daily race with distances ranging from a 5K to a full marathon. “I finish marathons, but not very quickly, and I pay to do it,” he quips. “But the family will be there and one of my daughters wants to run the 5K. So it’s a fun experience for all of us.”
Garofolo joined her colleagues in 2013 following her move to Nashville from New York City. A former Wall Street stockbroker and M&A associate, she knew she was a natural fit for the team when Glasgow began the interview by asking, “What do you think about my socks?” As a native New Yorker of Italian descent, it’s also natural that she is immersed in the intricate details that go into the art of preparing an exceptional meal. “I grew up in a family where everyone knew how to cook, so authenticity is important to me,” she says. “You know when a meal is prepared faithfully and with the right ingredients. When that happens, the experience becomes memorable.” Along those lines, she’s impressed by what she has discovered in many Nashville restaurants. “NYC will always be a mecca when it comes to elevated fine dining but Nashville’s dining scene has blown up in the 10 years I’ve been here,” she says. With so many dining options, it’s easy for a veteran foodie to be overwhelmed. But Garofolo has some advice for those who are just embarking on their Nashville food journey. “Try following food and restaurant accounts on Instagram to keep up with what’s new,” she says. “Try as many as you can but focus on the cuisine you like the most and try those restaurants first.”
And for wealth management advice that can identify with your specific aspirations, consider the team at Tower Circle Partners.
Advisor.Janney.com/towercirclepartners
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