How We’re Growing to Serve You Better

In 2019, I had the privilege of becoming the majority shareholder at John Moore Associates, marking a significant step in the continuity plan we began years earlier in 2013.  With that transition came both an honor and a responsibility to carry forward the values and principles that John Moore faithfully established, while also leading the firm into a future shaped by change.

Our industry doesn’t stand still. Technology evolves, markets shift, and client expectations continue to rise. That reality has required us to ask an important question over the past several years: How do we grow in a way that reflects wise stewardship, both for the firm, and, more importantly, for the people we serve?

For us, the answer has been clear. Growth isn’t about expansion for its own sake, but an investment in better growth. It’s about using the resources entrusted to us to better serve our clients.

Investing in a Stronger Foundation

Over the past several years, we’ve made a number of meaningful investments designed to enhance the client experience.

One of the most significant steps came in 2020, when we transitioned to a fully independent business model. This required re-establishing every client account and rebuilding our compliance infrastructure from the ground up, which was no small task. But it allowed us to operate as a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor, reinforcing our commitment to objectivity and transparency in how we serve clients.

We also made a long-anticipated move to a new Albuquerque office after more than 20 years in our previous location. Despite the challenges of navigating construction during the COVID era, this transition has created a more welcoming and functional environment for both our clients and our team, with future expansion already under consideration.

Another major area of investment has been in our trading and portfolio management technology. These upgraded systems allow us to implement trades more efficiently across client accounts while also giving us deeper visibility into the tax implications of those decisions. This has meaningfully improved our ability to identify opportunities such as tax-loss harvesting and charitable gifting of appreciated assets, which are areas that require both precision and timely execution. Ultimately, this investment helps us serve clients more proactively and thoughtfully when managing their portfolios.

Separately, we’ve made a significant investment in advanced tax planning software. This is an area that has become increasingly important in the financial planning process. This technology allows us to model and analyze income tax scenarios with far greater depth, supporting strategies such as Roth conversions and long-term tax planning. While we do not provide tax advice, this capability has strengthened our ability to educate clients, collaborate more effectively with their tax professionals, and surface planning opportunities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. In many cases, this has helped facilitate more informed decision-making around complex financial situations.

We’ve also expanded our client portal options, giving clients more flexibility in how they view and interact with their financial information.

Investing in People and Relationships

Just as important as technology is the investment we’ve made in our team.

We’re excited to be welcoming two new assistant advisors this May, one in Arizona and one in New Mexico. Both are graduating from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor’s degree in finance with a financial planning emphasis, meaning they are prepared to add value and assist in serving clients from day one. These additions will further support our planning team while also preparing for the upcoming retirement of Joe Limke, whose faithful service has meant so much to our firm and our clients.

Over the past several years, we’ve added new advisors and service team members across both offices. One of the ways this shows up in your experience is through having two advisors present in client meetings. That’s something that remains uncommon in our industry, but reflects our commitment to thoughtful, collaborative guidance.

This team-based approach allows us to bring multiple perspectives into each conversation, while also ensuring continuity and depth in every client relationship.

Looking Ahead: A New Season of Investment

As we look to the year ahead, we see another season of intentional reinvestment.

Beyond our staffing growth, we are also strengthening our investment process by engaging an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO). This partnership adds an additional layer of research and perspective to our existing investment committee, helping us continue to refine how we evaluate opportunities and manage portfolios.

In addition, we’re expanding how we communicate and educate. We’ve found that clients who are informed and educated in financial principles are often better equipped to make thoughtful, confident decisions with their resources.

With that in mind, we’ve engaged a new team to help us grow our presence on YouTube with more professionally produced content, including our Wealth and Wisdom podcast and weekly videos designed to address timely financial topics we encounter in client conversations. Our goal is to provide consistent, relevant insights that help you stay grounded in an ever-changing financial landscape.

A Stewardship Mindset

At the heart of all of this is a principle we return to often: stewardship.

We believe this firm—and the relationships within it—are something entrusted to us. That shapes how we think about growth. Every investment we make is considered through the lens of how it serves you, supports wise decision-making, and reflects the values we’ve been called to uphold.

Whether it’s strengthening our planning capabilities, deepening our investment process, or enhancing how we communicate, our aim is to be faithful with what we’ve been given.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our Wealth and Wisdom YouTube channel to stay up to date on weekly insights, and feel free to reach out if there are topics you’d like us to cover in future content.