North Bay Business Journal

NORTH BAY — While the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s record-breaking close above 15,000 was a highly watched milestone this month, wealth managers in the North Bay expressed caution. Those broader market gains are no doubt good for many investors, they said, but it is the ones with a long-term strategy who have stayed in the markets during the past few years of downturns that are reaping the greatest rewards.

The Business Journal surveyed wealth management advisers across the North Bay on three questions related to the investment climate today and long term.

Wealth managers surveyed were Colleen Supran of Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough, Charles Root of Double Eagle Financial, Steven Jenkins of Exchange Bank, Brian Pon of Financial Connections, James Burleson of Greenleaf & Burleson Wealth Management, Neil Hennessy of Hennessy Funds, Noah Jacobson of Jacobson & Breen Wealth Strategies, James Demmert of Main Street Research, Montgomery Taylor of Montgomery Taylor & Company, John Whiting of Moss Adams Wealth Advisors, Greg Friedman of Private Ocean, Clark Jorgensen of Private Wealth Partners, Michael Gradl of Redwood Credit Union, Michael Schmitz of Schmitz Capital Partners, Eric Aanes of Titus Wealth Management, Jon Mallon of UBS Financial Services, Evan Oliver of VERITY Wealth Advisors, Henry Pilger of Vista Wealth Management, Irv Rothenberg of Wealth Management Consultants, Bruce Dzieza of Willow Creek Financial Services and Alice King of Wine Country Wealth Management.

At a time when investors face widely swinging markets and an uncertain legislative outlook, several North Bay wealth advisers maintain that a long-term approach remains the core of a sound wealth management strategy. North Bay Business Journal asked advisers to comment on the current investment climate, the top concerns of clients, current pitfalls and how upcoming economic and legislative events might affect the world of wealth management.

The North Bay Area’s wealth advisers are offering reassurance: despite the emotional effect of witnessing stocks fluttering dramatically before closing, recent market swings stand to have little effect on long-term portfolios and are a far cry from the desperate climate seen during the 2008 downturn.