John E. Chapman Chief Executive OfficerIn times of market volatility, it’s natural for employees to feel anxious about their retirement savings. As we work with your employees, our goal is to help bring clarity and calm during uncertain periods. It’s important to remind participants that retirement plans are designed with a long-term perspective—and that short-term fluctuations, while unsettling, are a normal part of investing. Last week, you should have received a participant communication intended for distribution to your employees. This message was designed to reinforce the importance of staying the course during periods of market volatility and to remind employees that our advisory team is available should they have individual questions or concerns.
Our team is here to support your employees directly with clear, unbiased education and guidance that helps them stay grounded and focused on their long-term goals. As part of this ongoing effort, we would like to extend an open invitation to you and your plan participants to our upcoming Strategy Symposium. All three sessions are available to your leadership team here, and we’re also offering access to one expanded-capacity session at the Harper College Campus for all participants: Register Here.
We also recognize that you may have employees nearing retirement. In periods of market volatility, employees at all stages of their careers may feel the ripple effects—but for those approaching retirement, the emotional and financial weight of uncertainty can feel especially heavy. These individuals are not just watching fluctuations on a screen; they’re evaluating how those shifts may impact their next chapter in life.
This is a crucial moment. The years leading up to retirement present a unique window of opportunity to refine goals, rebalance priorities, and take thoughtful action. Having access to experienced, objective guidance during this time can provide financial clarity and emotional confidence.
As we support your organization and work directly with your employees, we remain especially mindful of this group. Our conversations with near-retirees often go beyond portfolio performance and include questions about timing, healthcare, legacy, and lifestyle—topics that are deeply personal and highly impactful. In many cases, individuals in this phase might not have had a structured plan in place before a period of market volatility—and that’s okay. It’s not about looking back; it’s about moving forward with clarity.
That’s why we take an approach rooted in education, empathy, and alignment. We strive to meet participants where they are and walk them through the steps ahead, whether that means helping them understand their Social Security options, exploring income strategies, or simply creating space to talk through what retirement feels like, not just what it costs.
Plan sponsors have a unique opportunity to offer this kind of support, particularly when working with partners who understand the technical and human sides of retirement readiness. We’re here to be an extension of your team, helping you empower employees to retire with purpose, confidence, and dignity.
As always, we welcome the opportunity to speak with your team or plan participants—whether in a group setting or through one-on-one conversations. In the meantime, we hope to see you at our upcoming Investment Symposium (more details below), where we’ll continue to share strategies, insights, and encouragement for every phase of the retirement journey.
Invested in the Human Resource Conversation: Our Takeaways from IL State SHRM Conference 2025
Earlier this month, we also had the opportunity to participate as an exhibitor at the 2025 IL SHRM Conference & Expo—a premier gathering of human resources professionals, business leaders, and workplace innovators from across Illinois. It was a fantastic event filled with dynamic conversations, timely insights, and a strong sense of purpose: helping organizations build better workplaces.
As a firm that works closely with business owners, HR leaders, and executives, being part of this event wasn’t just a chance to showcase what we do—it was a chance to listen, learn, and contribute to the evolving world of work.
Why IL-SHRM?
Hosted annually, IL-SHRM brings together hundreds of human resource professionals across the state for several days of learning, networking, and solution-sharing. The event covers many topics: employee well-being, leadership development, workplace compliance, and more.
As sponsors, we had the chance to speak directly with the people driving HR strategy inside companies of all sizes—many of whom are the same decision-makers shaping the employee experience, including financial wellness benefits.
What This Means for Our Clients and Partners
Whether you’re a business owner, a plan sponsor, or a center of influence, our presence at IL-SHRM underscores a few key things:
- We’re invested in your world. We don’t just advise from the sidelines—we show up, listen, and engage with the issues that matter most to employers today.
- We’re building valuable connections. These conferences allow us to connect with HR professionals, benefits coordinators, and other stakeholders often involved in selecting or evaluating services like retirement plans, executive compensation strategies, and financial wellness programs.
- We’re staying ahead of the curve. From legislative updates to innovative workplace trends, IL-SHRM provides insight that we bring back to our client conversations.
A Human Approach to Financial Wellness
One of our biggest takeaways from this year’s conference? HR professionals are hungry for practical, personalized solutions that support both their organization’s goals and their employees’ well-being. Financial stress is one of the biggest barriers to employee engagement, and employers are actively looking for partners who can help address it.
That’s exactly where we come in.
Looking Ahead
Attending IL-SHRM as a sponsor wasn’t just about visibility—it was about alignment. It’s one more way we’re staying in tune with what our clients need and making meaningful connections with professionals who care deeply about the same things we do.
If you’re curious about what we learned, or how we help employers and employees alike make more thoughtful financial decisions, let’s talk. Whether you’re a client, prospect, or referral partner, we’d love to share insights and see how we can support your goals.
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