Extol Summer 2020 | Page 54

Fiduciary Finesse Weathering 2020 with Axiom Financial Strategies Group By Laura Ross In these times of uncertainty, rapidly changing job situations, and the COVID-19 health crisis, we find our lives changing almost daily. How do you possibly plan for your family’s financial future? It can be an overwhelming thought, and one you might shove on a shelf for a later day. Not so fast, says Axiom Financial Strategies Group’s founder and partner Vaughan Scott. He says now is the perfect time to plan for financial security. “Ask yourself, do you have a plan?” Scott says, “Do you have faith in that plan? If you don’t, then you better talk to someone with expertise.” Long-term financial planning not only gives you peace of mind, it also helps weather financial storms like the one we find ourselves in right now. “The general pendulum swings between irrational exuberance and panic,” explains Scott. “The reality is you must have objective data to make informed decisions, and that’s what these plans do. (At Axiom Financial Services) we have ways to reduce the risk. The corrections that occur let us do major repositioning, but it’s always based on a client’s needs or goals. We try to provide as many solutions as possible.” New Albany’s Axiom Financial Strategies Group, led by Scott and his business partner, Mike Grau, has served Southern Indiana, Kentucky, and beyond since 2009. After a long stretch under the Wells Fargo umbrella, the firm recently began registered independent investment advisory operations focused on growth, service, integrity, accountability, and innovation. Scott, a Southern Indiana native and Indiana University graduate, got the bug to help others build wealth by emulating his mom, who was a financial planner throughout the 1980s. “When I got out of college, the person who hired my mom suggested I get some real-world experience,” Scott says. He started working in the business with UBS in 1999 and worked with a team that included Gloria Bommarrito and Abby Wolfe, investment advisors who are still critical leaders of the Axiom team today. “Gloria and I split off to join Smith Barney in partnership with Your Community Bank (YCB) to take over YCB’s investment and trust operations in 2003,” says Scott. “She and I started with a fax machine and a couple computers,” he laughs. When work increased and they needed assistance, Scott asked Smith Barney for help finding someone who had an excellent planning background and was introduced to Mike Grau in 2003. “We built what became our Axiom team in that one conference room,” adds Grau, Axiom partner, certified financial planner, and retirement income certified professional. His background in accounting and managing client portfolios was the perfect fit. The team clicked, and Axiom Financial Strategies Group was formed in partnership with Wells Fargo in 2009 – just as that year’s financial crisis hit. Today, Axiom serves clients in Indiana, Kentucky, and 14 other states. Scott and Grau have built a team of investment advisors with experience and enthusiasm and have plans for continued growth. Many Axiom advisors have close ties to Southern Indiana. “An axiom is a closely held principle or truth,” explains Scott. “We originally operated under our last names, but knew we wanted a name that had meaning.” Axiom Financial Strategies Group advises individuals, families, family-owned businesses, and entrepreneurs through all stages of financial planning, including wealth growth and management, 401K investments, strategic planning, and trusts. “We have a team of nine advisors who all work to make Axiom the best,” says Grau. “Our clients see that. We invite them in, show them how we work, and even do a complimentary plan first. We want them to be comfortable with the entire team and know they are welcomed and respected.” 52 EXTOL : SUMMER 2020