Meridian Investment Advisors
Rena Williams, from left, Charley Gardner, Crystal Swearingen, Pat Moon, Diana Hinojosa, Jennifer Greer and Marshall Moon
What kind of competition do you face in this field, and how does your company distinguish itself?
Competition in our space has never been greater. In addition to the wire houses that have a national presence, new technology and niche vendors have made it easier than ever for advisors to launch a practice. Being independent affords us autonomy over investment strategies that are more tailored to the needs of our clients. Most importantly, over half of our team members have been with Meridian for over 25 years. The experience of our staff helps us provide a client experience that is uncommon in our market. This is a service business, and our high client retention is a testament that we’re providing impactful service year after year.
What has been your organization’s proudest accomplishment so far?
Our greatest accomplishment is longevity. Meridian was founded in 1983 and is one of the oldest independent and largest registered investment advisors in Arkansas. There have been many fine people at Meridian over the years who have contributed to our success.
What trends are you watching in your industry right now?
An important aspect of our business is a shift to holistic financial planning for the lifespans of families and next generations. In addition to investment management, we’re spending more time than ever with clients on subjects such as estate planning, tax planning and retirement planning. Our team of advisors hold accreditations across multiple domains, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst, which emphasizes investment management, and the Certified Financial Planner, which is geared more toward holistic planning. Over the years, we’ve developed an extensive network of professionals for a team approach to building well-crafted, holistic financial plans for clients.
What kind of employee culture do you try to cultivate?
We want our workplace to be one where team members look forward to coming every day. We work hard to provide opportunities for personal growth and to form meaningful relationships. We’re in the business of serving people, so taking care of one another helps us do that more effectively. We also want Meridian to be a place where people retire from fulfilling careers. Given that over half of our employees have been with us for over 25 years, we think we’re well on our way to accomplishing this goal.
What is something everyone gets wrong about your industry or business?
Many people overcomplicate the nature of our business. There are plenty of complicated products and strategies in the world of investment management, but many of those are only suitable for a small population of people or in specialized situations. We stick to a set of principles that allow us to provide consistency in a cost-effective manner. We put a lot of effort into client education and communication. The better they understand our core investment principles, the more at ease they are with the ever-changing landscape of financial markets.
What kind of legacy do you hope this organization will leave behind?
We want Meridian to leave a legacy of caring for our clients and our employees. One of our greatest pleasures is to see our clients have so much trust in us that their biggest riches are realized outside of our office. Getting updates from clients about life events like vacations, having grandchildren and the satisfaction they get from making financial gifts is rewarding to us.
Meridian Investment Advisors
11300 Cantrell Road, Suite 200, Little Rock • 501-663-7055
Facebook: Meridian Investment Advisors
ArkansasCharley GardnerCrystal SwearingenDiana HinojosaJennifer GreerLittle RockMarshall MoonMeridian Investment AdvisorsPat MoonRena Williams
