17 minute read
Business Spotlight: Gagne Wealth Management Group
A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE
JAY GAGNE & GAGNE WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP’S CLIENT-FIRST APPROACH EARNS FORBES RECOGNITION
JAY GAGNE - RAYMOND JAMES
6081 E 82nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46250 (317) 577-6030 raymondjames.com/ gagnewealthmanagement
Writer / Shelly Sack Photographer / Brian Brosmer
From his office desk, Jay Gagne has floorto-ceiling window views of a large body of water outside his Castleton office location for Gagne Wealth Management Group.
Water has always reminded Jay of his youth growing up on northern Indiana’s Tippecanoe Lake and is, unsurprisingly, what grounds him and keeps him centered.
Gagne, 50, spends his days doing financial planning and managing the personal investment assets of approximately 300 clients, which he takes very seriously and handles with great care and consideration. He describes his day as one filled with multi-faceted roles.
“This industry is hard, it’s not easy,” he says. “There are so many moving parts, things to know, and thus experience matters to a large degree. But when you grow to an elite level, you must be doing something right.” He is referring to the group’s recent recognition by Forbes magazine’s SHOOK rankings as a top wealth advisor with a #13 “Best in State” ranking for Indiana. This is up from a #16 ranking in 2020, which Gagne says was a “hard earned” move up in the state rankings.
“We take great pride in not only being recognized as “Best in State” for three consecutive years, but also in continuing to climb in our ranking,” Gagne says.
That is due to a complex assessment the firm underwent each year, such as assets under management, broker record, creative planning solutions for clients, staff interviews and, as Gagne proudly emphasizes, “a perfect service record. No reportable client complaints in 26 years.”
Clients receive consistent contact, a rapid response to time-sensitive issues strategic financial planning implementation, and goal-monitored performance. Gagne points to a humorous story that emphasizes creativity while serving clients. When his wife Tessa was in labor in 2017, he was very underdressed from his usual professional attire. He had a client who needed immediate attention, and his client conversation as a wealth advisor was overheard by the attending anesthesiologist. After a business card was requested and given, the next week Gagne promptly had a new client — and a week-old son, Conor.
Wealth investment has its roots in Gagne’s family. He says a lot of inspiration came from his mother Paula, who is also licensed and maintains 1% of the business ownership as law requires. Paula is co-president and still maintains an office and a very active interest in the daily business functioning as well as on going client needs.
More than 35 years ago, with two teenage sons, Paula Gagne, the stay-at-home mom, was inspired to make her mark as a financial advisor. She earned her required license’s but needed someone to give her a chance,
Wall Street had large barriers to entry at the time. The generally male-dominated field proved hard to enter but Paula had a plan. She made an appointment with a firm under the guise of being an investor and talked her way into her first job.
Success quickly followed the motivated advisor and corporate entities came recruiting due to her proven success in the name of Merrill Lynch.
While she was making waves in the financial world, Jay Gagne was busy gaining his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington.
“I thought about law school but was inspired by the stories I would hear at the dinner table. If she could be so successful in the field, maybe I could too,” Gagne says.
Stepping through the doors of Merrill Lynch in 1995 as one person in that year’s recruiting class of more than 1,000, Gagne would soon make his own mark. He placed first in the country in every category in the Merrill Lynch Fast Start program, ultimately earning him the title of “Rookie of the Year.” He later earned his prestigious certification as a Certified Investment Management Analyst from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Both mother and son worked for Merrill Lynch and were high performers before moving under the Raymond James umbrella. Gagne says it is a better fit overall for their approach to providing career investment services, including but not limited to, retirement planning, estate planning, wealth management, tax planning, college planning, insurance needs and business valuations.
His clients seem to agree.
“The crazy dot.com bust, financial decline of ’08 — we still have many of our early on acquired clients,” Gagne says. “As clients move, they often choose to retain our services. People do business with people they like, know, and trust.” From its perch just west of I-465, Gagne’s Wealth Management firm advises for clients in 29 states, with Florida being the second largest state as people often retire from Indiana and move south for the sunshine.
Paula likes to point out that clients sometimes let fear and emotion guide their financial decisions, which is understandable.
As president, Gagne wears many hats for his clients. He has to keep an eye on markets, oversee financial plan implementation, client investments, manage his day-to-day business operations, and still make time for his family. Gagne Wealth Management is constantly preparing for the next wave of investors, as his initial clients often times refer Gagne Wealth Management to their grown children. Jay Gagne has another financial advisor on board, Vinya Sagi who has earned her Master’s in Finance from Harvard University, as well as an experienced administrative team, Kelly Hudson and Jamie Montisano, to serve client needs and requests.
Typically his firm operates primarily through client referrals, specified investment minimums, and careful selection of who they allow on board as new client relationships. He recently received a hand-written card from a client that he took on with a smaller amount than his investment minimum thanking him for accepting them as a client.
“It doesn’t matter how many zeros are at the end of the number when someone needs help,” he says.
Gagne Wealth Management Group outreach extends to the greater Indianapolis area in the spirit of building community. The firm is a contributor for the Indianapolis Zoo, the Carmel Symphony, Pathway to Recovery, the Humane Society, Cystic Fibrosis Society’s Indiana chapter and Diwali celebrations for the local Indian community.
The financial duo’s next plan involves further entrenching themselves in the Geist community, where they already live within one lawn of each other. Gagne and his wife are finishing new construction on a home overlooking the reservoir and Paula purchased the adjacent lot hoping to build next year. After all, it is the water that brings them home.
Gagne Wealth Management Group is located at 6081 E 82nd St in Indianapolis. For more information, call 317-577-6030 or visit them online at raymondjames.com/ gagnewealthmanagement.
Jay Gagne and the Gagne Wealth Management Group Team
CALL KARA
317-335-9900 for more information! Traditions at Brookside is located in McCordsville, IN, near Geist Reservoir. Offering INDEPENDENT LIVING, ASSISTED LIVING, MEMORY CARE, and Garden Homes in our senior retirement community. Nursing care and support, along with gracious amenities and lifestyle options are provided to our residents.
GEIST’S PREMIER
SENIOR LIVING
NORTHSIDE BREWS & SPIRITS
1205 DISTILLERY
120 Camilla Ct Suite A Westfield, IN 317-439-4997 1205distillery.com/1205-distillerynorth Named for the date Prohibition was repealed, 1205 Distillery celebrates the right to enjoy excellent spirits. A small batch distillery and cocktail bar, we are committed to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to produce spirits that meet our uncommonly high standards. Our handcrafted products evoke both tradition and innovation, offering a unique drinking experience. Take a load off, sip and savor.
BIER BREWERY
13720 N. Meridian St. Carmel, IN 317-564-8565 5133 East 65th Street Indianapolis, IN 317-253-2437 bierbrewery.com Bier Brewery is committed to the highest quality and best tasting bier in Indianapolis. Each hand-crafted batch allows Bier to have the utmost control over the many variables that make up our awesomeness. The results have been delicious and quite successful at various events around the state, country, and world.
BLACKHAWK WINERY & VINEYARD
28153 Ditch Rd. Sheridan, IN (317) 771-2814 blackhawkwinery.com Blackhawk Winery & Vineyard is a family-owned business in Sheridan, Indiana. Situated on 10 acres of lovely vineyard, this winery has been part of the Sheridan community for more than five years. Deb & John Miller, owners of Blackhawk Winery & Vineyard, hail from California. Deb is a veterinarian by trade but also manages the winery and serves as the official wine taster. John is an electrical engineer who is now the winemaker and vineyard manager. Blackhawk Winery & Vineyard is family-friendly with a mix of farm animals always out in the pasture and music and other events most weekends. We offer a large selection of wines from dry to semi-dry to sweet and, when in season, bubbly wines and hard cider. Our goal is to produce quality wines with locally grown fruit – grapes as well as various berries. We believe wine is simply meant to be enjoyed. Period.
DANNY BOY BEER WORKS
12702 Meeting House Rd. Carmel, IN 317-564-0622 dannyboybeerworks.com Danny Boy Beer Works is WICKED-AWESOME-BEER brewed in the Village of West Clay in Carmel. Fresh, smoked barbecue will pair nicely with the fresh craft beers brewed by Danny Boy Beer Works as we welcome Patrick’s BBQ to our kitchen. Diners will now be able to feast on a variety of dishes prepared by Patrick Mullen and Beth Dickerson — everything from pulled pork nachos to baby back ribs, smokehouse cheddar burgers to soups, salads and a kids menu.
DEVIATE BREWING
4004 W. 96th St. Indianapolis, IN 317-374-8249 deviatebrewing.com Whether it’s taking classic food flavor pairings and incorporating them into a beer or taking classic beer styles and putting fun flavor spins on them. All of Deviate’s offerings will be designed to deviate from the norm, and we hope the growing number of craft beer deviants will enjoy them.
FIELD BREWING
303 E. Main St. Westfield, IN 317-804-9780 fieldbrewing.com Field Brewing strives for more than making tasty beer. We are committed to the craft behind creating amazing flavors. Wholesome food and drink using clean, quality ingredients is at the heart of what we do. We skip the processed extras to let real ingredients shine. Fresh food and drink on our unique campus creates a memorable dining experience.
FOUR DAY RAY BREWING
11671 Lantern Road Fishers, IN 317-343-0200 fourdayray.com Four Day Ray Brewing is a gastropub following a food & beverage philosophy influenced by cultures around the world. They strive to use locally-sourced ingredients from local producers. Both the brewery & restaurant are very visual spaces with garage doors that open providing a unique open air experience. The restaurant is kid friendly and the three-season patio is dog friendly. Four Day Ray is Fishers’ own and Fishers proud producing a wide selection of brews that are constantly rotating in their 24-tap tasting room.
GRAND JUNCTION BREWING CO.
110 S Union Street Westfield, IN 317-804-5168 grandjunctionbrewing.com Built out of a strong English heritage, Grand Junction Brewing Co. is focused on brewing traditional, true-to-style beers, with a heavy European influence, in a small-batch, artisan environment. As a company, Grand Junction Brewing Co. represents the antithesis of the big corporate brewery, a true mom and pop success story. Built from extremely humble beginnings and without deep-pocketed investors, this microbrewery has churned out a number of award-winning beers in just two short years of existence.
LOUVINO FISHERS
626 E. 116th Street Fishers, IN 317-598-5160 louvino.com LouVino is a restaurant specializing in southern-inspired small plates and boasts an abundant wine list of more than 60 wines by the glass, bourbon and beer. LouVino’s menu is comprised of many shareable plates that are heavily influenced from the South. Half of the menu changes about every two months to ensure they are using seasonal and fresh ingredients. LouVino’s bar program is known for it’s award-winning wine list with more than 60 wines by the glass and wine flights. A wide selection of bourbons, craft beer and cocktails are also available.
MASHCRAFT FISHERS
11069 Allisonville Rd. Fishers, IN 317-863-5165 mashcraft.com MashCraft Fishers is a neighborhood brewery showcasing 16 locally-produced MashCraft beers with a family section, pub style delicious food, dogs welcome on the patio, and carry-out beer every day.
MOONTOWN BREWING COMPANY
345 S. Bowers Street Whitestown, IN 317-769-3880 moontownbeer.com Moontown Brewing Company is a craft brewery, restaurant, and event venue located in a historic school and gymnasium on the NW side of the Circle City. Moontown offers unique brews, a fun atmosphere and great food.
MURPHYS CRAFT HOUSE
11705 Fox Road PEACE WATER WINERY
Indianapolis, IN 37 W. Main St. 317-723-3085 Carmel, IN
MurphysCraftHouse.com 317-810-1330
Murphys Craft House is a peacewaterwinery.com concept designed by Craig & Our tasting room in the Arts &
Ryan Stonebraker. The family has Design District is where is all been entrenched in the food and happens. Come chill out with us. beverage business in Indianapolis Sample our wines, enjoy a glass, since the 1950s. A tradition of or bring your friends and share a quality, value and service has bottle. One bottle does a world always been the family’s focus. of good. Wings_IndianaPrintAd_7_124x4_75_03_2021_Press.pdf 1 3/17/21 2:45 PM
PRIMEVAL BREWING
960 Logan Street, Suite 100 Noblesville, IN 317-678-8193 primevalbrewco.com Primeval Brewing is a unique European-inspired craft brewery located in the historic downtown district of Noblesville, Indiana. Born from the vibrant homebrewing community, our founders are inspired by the classic beer styles of Germany, Britain, and Belgium. We strive to bring a new vision to the central Indiana craft brewing scene by producing high-quality artisan examples of these styles with an open, inviting taproom inspired by classic German beer halls.
NEW! WINGSFLATS
yeah… you gotta try ‘Em. Visit tijuanaflats.com
choose from five flavors made WITH flats Signature sauces
6FOR 9.99 10 FOR 12.99
SCARLET LANE BREWERY
7724 Depot St. McCordsville, IN 317-336-0814 scarletlanebrew.com Since its opening in 2014, Scarlet Lane Brewery has brewed a variety of different beers ranging from Australian ales to ancient braggot-styles. With the successful launch of Dorian Stout, Eirik Bloodaxe and a variety of other popular beers, Scarlet Lane started packaging its flagship and seasonal beers for local grocery and package liquor stores throughout Indiana. In late 2018, it expanded by opening additional Tap House locations to further expand the availability of its unique and balanced beers while enhancing the research and development program with small batch creations. Scarlet Lane delivers its own fresh, locally made beer to its satellite Tap Houses ensuring the experience is just like sitting at the production facility Tap House in McCordsville.
SUN KING SPIRITS
351 Monon Blvd. Carmel, IN 317-843-6250 sunkingbrewing.com/carmel Sun King Spirits offers our handmade spirts, beer, and food from our partners: Oca, La Margarita, Pi, and The Den by FoxGardin. Sun King Spirits is an all-ages space, but you must be 21+ years of age to enjoy our beer or spirits.
SUN KING FISHERS
9713 District North Dr. Ste. 1220 Fishers, IN 317-436-1926 sunkingbrewing.com Sun King Fishers is a full service and family-friendly tasting room and restaurant, featuring a full selection of Sun King beer and spirits, as well as food from three restaurant partners at the Fishers Test Kitchen, a completely new concept that hopes to shape the culinary landscape of Fishers for the future.
TAXMAN FORTVILLE
29 S. Main Street Fortville, IN 317-482-1272 taxmanbrewing.com Taxman Fortville is an Indiana brasserie and tap room, committed to artfully pairing the highest quality local ingredients with house-made craft beers, wine and cocktails. Located in the downtown Fortville on Main Street, Taxman Fortville occupies two historic buildings that were constructed in the early 1900s. The restaurant features a 21+ bar area, a family-friendly dining area that can accommodate large groups, a lofted 2nd floor dining area with a full service bar and a private event room suitable for groups of up to 30 people. The tap room features two full-service bars with sixteen craft beers on draft, a local and international wine selection and handcrafted cocktails. The draft beer selection showcases the wide variety of Belgian-inspired craft beers brewed by Taxman Brewing Company, as well as select craft beers from around the region. Customers can purchase carryout beer in 64oz growlers and 32oz bullets, as well as in cans and bottles.
TRADERS BREWING COMPANY
8587 Zionsville Road Indianapolis, IN 317-280-7505 tradersbrewingcompany.com Traders Brewing Company is family owned and operated brewery and taproom on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. Their mission is to serve simply, quality-driven beer and contribute to the community in a positive way.
UNION BREWING COMPANY
622 S. Rangeline Rd. Ste. Q Carmel, IN 317-657-7338 unionbrewingco.com At Union Brewing Company, artisan ales are hand crafted, two barrels at a time using time honored traditions, natural ingredients and traditional methods.
UPLAND BREWING CO. CARMEL TAP HOUSE
820 E. 116th Street Carmel, IN 317-564-3400 uplandbeer.com The Carmel Tap House combines its own unique personality with a distinctly Upland atmosphere. We offer 10 rotating draft selections. We hope drinkers will appreciate Upland beers as much as we do.
URBAN VINES WINERY & BREWERY
303 E. 161st Street Westfield, IN 317-763-0678 urban-vines.com A winery and brewery in Westfield, Indiana. They have several wines and beers that are made on premise. The tasting room is open daily. Urban Vines also has charcuterie boards of meats, cheeses, bread, jams and more.
Mother-daughter duo Paula & Melissa Smith
PERSONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE From start to finish
We are a boutique, woman-owned family business with deep Indiana roots. Paula Smith and daughter Melissa Smith provide personal, professional service throughout your home buying and/or selling experience. Give us a call. See why our clients over the last 17 years feel like part of our family.
317-690-2524 / smithfamilyrealtyindy.com
