As we come to the close of another year, I want to take a moment to reflect, to say thank you, and to share how proud I am of the work we’ve done together. This year marks LCM’s 24th year serving our client family. That longevity means a great deal to us, reflecting the relationships we’ve built over time and, in many cases, across generations. Together we’ve navigated changing markets, evolving goals, and life’s many transitions. Through it all, your trust continues to be the foundation of everything we do, and it is never taken for granted.
This year delivered strong performance across much of the market, particularly in equities. While the continued strength of the market surprised many, it was driven largely by resilient corporate earnings, enthusiasm around AI, and the Fed’s easing of monetary policy. While inflation and trade policy remained part of the conversation, the markets overall rewarded investors who stayed disciplined and focused on long-term goals.
As always, our priority was to keep your portfolio aligned with your objectives, balancing opportunity with strategic diversification and risk management rather than reacting to headlines.
While outside recognition is never our primary goal, we are grateful when it reflects the care and integrity we bring to our work. This year, we were honored once again to be named to the Orange County Business Journal’s ‘Companies That Care’ list for 2025, a distinction that speaks to our commitment to our people, our clients, and our community. We were also ranked #278 in Financial Advisor Magazine’s 2025 RIA Survey & Rankings, up from #322 last year. This improvement reflects more than our growth in assets, which now exceeds $860 million under management. Most importantly, it is a testament to the trust you place in us and the care we strive to bring to every client we serve.
I am also proud to share that InvestmentNews named our own Gideon Bernstein to its ‘2025 Hot List,’ which recognizes advisors who are making a meaningful impact in the field of wealth management. For those of you who know Gideon, this acknowledgment reflects what we see every day: his dedication to helping families invest wisely, live abundantly, and give purposefully.
Gideon’s contributions to the world of philanthropy continue to expand. He was a featured speaker at Schwab IMPACT in Denver, an event that brings together Schwab advisors from across the country to share ideas and elevate how they serve their clients. He spoke—unsurprisingly—about charitable giving and how advisors can thoughtfully integrate it into financial planning to encourage generosity while helping mitigate taxes and expand each client’s ability to give. He was an invited speaker at numerous charitable events and participated in a recent DAF Giving Summit webinar. His leadership in this important area of planning is recognized and valued by our clients, our team, and others across the industry.
This year also marked an important transition for our firm. After nearly 15 years with LCM and more than four decades in the financial services industry, John Schaus retired on January 1. John joined LCM in 2010, and he played a meaningful role in the growth of our client family. His leadership in marketing and client development, along with his wisdom, professionalism, and integrity, have left a lasting impact on our team. While John stepped away from his day-to-day role earlier in the year, he continued to work with us as a consultant to ensure a smooth transition for his clients, each of whom is now supported by me, Gideon, Avery, or Patrick. We are grateful for John’s legacy at LCM and hope you will join us in celebrating John’s extraordinary career.
As we look ahead to 2026, we remain optimistic, prepared, and deeply committed to serving you with care and integrity.
If you’re willing, we’d be grateful if you would take a few minutes of your time to participate in USA Today’s survey of Best Financial Advisory Firms. Your feedback helps reflect the work we do together, and we hope to rise in the rankings this year with your support. You can access the survey here.
On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your trust, your conversations, your referrals, and the relationships that make our work together so meaningful. Whether you’ve been with us for many years or joined us more recently, it is a privilege to serve you.
We wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a healthy, fulfilling year ahead.
