Freedom Street Partners

FINANCIAL PLANNER

Freedom Street Partners Ginny Koontz-DeLauder

Financial planning turned out to be an ideal career path for Ginny Koontz-DeLauder. Her role as a financial advisor with Freedom Street Partners enables her to combine her aptitude for numbers and problem solving with her love of helping people, including local farmers and agribusiness professionals, manage their wealth and plan for the future. Agribusiness is important to Koontz-DeLauder because both sets of her grandparents were raised on farms from the Shenandoah Valley to Norlina, N.C., and all the way to Indiana. Growing up, she developed a love of growing her own food and being close to nature. Supporting rural communities, local farmers, and agribusiness became a natural focus for her. She has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and applied economics and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) practitioner. The designation is the standard for excellence in the financial-planning profession. Koontz-DeLauder considers it a privilege to lead clients from where they are now to where they want to be in the future. She views herself as an educator and accountability partner, instilling in clients the confidence to plan for a secure financial future. She also keeps them focused on their goals and vision so they are less likely to make emotional decisions about their money during economic downturns. “When you help clients understand what they want their money to accomplish for them, it gives them the clarity and confidence to make informed decisions and to feel good about those decisions,” she said. Koontz-DeLauder began her career in financial services as a junior financial advisor and an associate for The Henderson Group in Staunton. In 2013, she came to Culpeper to work for Piedmont Wealth Management as a financial planner/partner. In 2020, she accepted the position of Client Relationship Manager with Freedom Street Partners, a financial services practice that is backed by the investment advisory service of Raymond James Financial Services. Freedom Street uses a proprietary Life Wealth Optimization process to help people increase lifelong financial independence and freedom while reducing stress and enhancing their quality of life. The steps are straightforward. Koontz-DeLauder and her team help clients envision their future, and then they develop a tailored financial plan, guide clients in implementing the plan, and partner with them in managing the plan as they enjoy the best life possible. A common hurdle that causes many people to put off financial planning, she said, is that the focus on numbers and the complexity of financial products can seem intimidating. “Before we can lead clients to financial freedom, we first have to help them decode complex and confusing financial topics. The entire process makes a lot more sense when we work on optimizing your life first and your wealth second.” Koontz-DeLauder appreciates Freedom Street’s vast resources and innovative approach to financial planning. She and her team rely on vision planning, DiSC personality assessments, advanced planning software, and other tools to identify appropriate and effective approaches to tax-efficient investing and charitable giving for clients. She enjoys the positive team atmosphere at Freedom Street and the company’s focus on serving the community, which she says aligns well with her own personal values. “The group is constantly giving back to the localities we serve through events and volunteering,” she said. Koontz-DeLauder is an active member and a former Chairman of the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce and the Culpeper Business Women. In addition, she has served on the board of Services to Abused Families, Inc. (SAFE) and is a member of Reformation Lutheran Church. She and her husband, Michael DeLauder, a plumber for Breeden Mechanical, own a farmette on the outskirts of Culpeper. They hope to convey their love and support of agribusiness to their 18-month-old son and to their second child, who will arrive in the spring of 2023. Her impact continues to grow every day as she continues her family’s agribusiness tradition, guides clients to financial freedom, and supports the Culpeper business community. “I am thrilled that my life has come full circle,” she said. “I am right where I want to be.”

Disclosure: Any opinions are those of Ginny Koontz-DeLauder and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investments advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Freedom Street Partners is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.