To Inspire: Tomorrow marks the 19th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. Where were you? I was a young marketing research manager at that time and it still feels like yesterday. I still remember specific conversations and looks on people’s faces as the events unfolded. I remember a colleague named […]

To Inform: When you think of infrastructure investments where does your mind go? Bridges to nowhere? Members of Congress lined up at the trough to capitalize on pork barrel spending? I can see why those things may come to mind, but the kind of infrastructure one ought to think about are the income generating, already […]

To Inspire: Looking for ways to spend your three day Labor Day weekend? Below, Edward Grinnan, Editor-in-Chief of Guideposts Magazine and author of The Promise of Hope, shares some of his favorite personal development websites and authors. Check some of them out and make it a great weekend! Favorite Personal Change Websites: Guideposts.org  True stories […]

To Inform: Several months back when the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 were being digested by financial markets, I remember reading a report talking about how the combination of Federal Reserve stimulus and recovering earnings could lead the S&P 500 to hit a level of 3,400, a new all-time high, before the end of […]

To Inspire:   A lot of celebrations have been missed or changed due to the coronavirus and that can definitely be disappointing. But a northern Ohio couple recently decided to use the downsizing of their wedding as an opportunity to help others. Tyler and Melanie Tapajna of Parma, Ohio decided they couldn’t safely host the […]

To Inform: I recently had a client ask me about the best way to save for college for their grandchildren. Immediately the 529 plan comes to mind but it’s not just that simple. Let’s start with the basics of a 529. Investment earnings and withdrawals are tax-free as long as they are used for qualified […]

To Inspire:   “Memories of my childhood live/between the rings of sand around my ankles/and the desert heat in my lungs. I still believe that nothing washes/worry from tired skin better than the Nile/and my grandma’s hands. That’s an excerpt from “People Like Us,” a poem by 26-year-old Emtithal “Emi” Mahmoud, an internationally regarded poet […]

To Inform: Last week’s Portfolios at Your Place Event covered Capital Market Assumptions (CMA) – a fancy term for forecasts of future asset returns over the next 5-10 years based on fundamental data like dividends, interest rates, and valuations. Many large investment banks and asset management firms put out annual forecasts of Capital Market Assumptions […]

To Inspire: Rick Rigsby, a minister, motivational speaker, author and former college professor, gave the graduation speech at a commencement ceremony at Cal Maritime a few years ago. At the time, he had four degrees and his brother was a Judge, but he considered his father to be the wisest person he had ever met. […]

To Inform: The words innovation and disruption seem to be getting used more and more around the investment world these days. This might spark a couple of questions. One being, “what does this mean for my investments?” and the other, perhaps, “is this anything new?” Before we answer, let’s define the terms. Innovation simply defined […]