Good morning, everyone! I hope you and your families are doing well. I wanted to share a quick market update, a brief personal note, and a sneak peek at some exciting events on the horizon.
The first Quarter was difficult for most investments, but we’ve had some relief in recent market performance. The word “Tariffs” has been re-introduced into markets for the first time in a long time, and the talk and implementation of Tariffs has caused a significant amount of volatility and uncertainty. On a recent call with Goldman Sachs, they attribute about 90% of market declines in US Equities to the Tariff debate. Goldman also talked about how the underlying economy is strong, but investor and consumer sentiment is a concern. We have taken the risks and uncertainties around Tariffs and adjusted our portfolios accordingly, but we remain long-term investors and will continue to balance risks with opportunities. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will review your overall financial plan and investments to ensure that you are still on track.
On a personal note, on Friday, April 25th I held my kick-off event to run for Mayor of Muskegon. I made this decision after long discussions with my team and my family about the time commitment and balancing a potential role as Mayor of Muskegon with my responsibilities to you and my family. Running for Mayor was a decision I made because of my love for Muskegon and a continuation of my commitment to public service that started with serving in the US Navy and continued through participation in local non-profit and civic organizations. In addition to loving Muskegon, I love my job as a financial advisor and CEO of Embark Financial Partners. I’ll still be “keeping my day job” and maintaining my dedication to your financial success. My excellent team – Becky, Will, Christian, Eric, Laura, Aubrey and Sheryll was built to make sure you received the best service and financial advice possible. If you have concerns about my decision to run for Mayor, please reach out to me.
As Spring turns into Summer, we have some events planned to connect and celebrate good things that are going on in both Muskegon and Kansas City. We are having another event in Kansas City at the KC Current match against Racing Louisville on June 14th at 6:30pm. The Current is tied for first in the NWSL and the CPKC Stadium is a great addition to the KC riverfront. We hope you can attend. Please RSVP to Aubrey Pitcher at Aubrey@embarkfp.com. We will be scheduling a fall event at the new Muskegon Museum of Art in the fall, details to follow.
We look forward to talking to you and seeing you soon.
Bob Garretson
CEO – Embark Financial Partners