By SJS Founder & CEO Scott Savage
The world looked a lot different 20 years ago. Your mobile phone was large and unwieldy, and could be used to make a phone call, and that’s about all! The Y2K scare had just passed with barely a blip – to the great relief to anyone with a computer. The New York Yankees were dominating Major League Baseball, and Florida State University was the team to beat in college football. Much has changed as the past 20 years have ticked by.
Something that hasn’t changed? The voice you hear when you call SJS. Twenty years ago, SJS Founder and CEO Scott Savage asked his then-neighbor, Meredith Sleet, to answer the phones at his office – for just a few weeks. Meredith agreed … and a few weeks turned into a few years, which turned into two decades last November.
“When I try to describe what Meredith means to me, I start to tear up,” reveals Scott. “If I am the length and shadow of SJS, Meredith is the one holding the flashlight and making sure there are always spare batteries in the closet.”
Meredith is similarly reflective about her time at SJS: “From just four of us in the office when I started, to the ‘Sweet 16’ we have today, it’s hard to call it work when everyone makes it fun!”
And then, just two months after Meredith joined the SJS team, Scott reached out to Kevin Kelly to fill the role of Managing Director.
Kevin served in that capacity until 2008, when he was named SJS President. “Twenty years ago, Kevin brought a method to my madness,” says Scott. “Turning all that we do into a reliable process has allowed SJS to serve more clients at the high standard they have come to expect from us. I am eternally grateful for our friendship.”
From Kevin’s point of view: “It has been a tremendous experience and blessing to get to know and serve the wonderful clients working with SJS over the past two-plus decades. Working with Meredith, Scott, and a team of colleagues that are second-to-none, we strive daily to make MarketPlus Investing® the investment approach with the highest service standards in the industry.
“What a fulfilling challenge to serve individuals, families, and institutions – where our success can directly impact goals that are meaningful to them!”
As we start the new year, the time is right to look back and reflect on the past year – or, in this case, the past 20 years! We are thankful to have Kevin and Meredith as part of the SJS team, and we look forward to their leadership, guidance, and the sound of their friendly voices for many years to come.
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