From the Desk of John Vance

To Our Vance Wealth Friends and Family,

I always enjoy this part of the year because it’s a time of transition. As we move forward with excitement and optimism for what’s next, I also find it helpful to reflect back on what brought us here.

Professionally, I’m filled with as much excitement for the move to Fidelity as I am filled with gratitude for the relationships and support, I’ve experienced from Raymond James for nearly 20 years. When I first went out on my own in 2003, the dot-com bubble had burst, the economy was still in recovery, and my first child was due within the month. Needless to say, the decision to start my own firm was a big leap of faith – and partnering with Raymond James was one of the key decisions that made it all worth it. Looking back, I can confidently say we wouldn’t have the firm we have today without the support of the Raymond James community. Over the years, I relied on this partnership for resources and guidance as I learned to run a business, become a leader and grow our firm according to plan.

With a strong culture of collaboration, Raymond James created an environment where I could experience a tremendous amount of self-improvement and a lot of really fond memories. I’ve met incredible friends and mentors, especially David Patchen, who not only encouraged me to become successful but also acted as a true accountability partner if I was heading in the wrong direction. From the people to the resources, Raymond James was absolutely the right partner for us over the past 20 years. As we look ahead at the next 20 years, I know Fidelity will be the right choice to accommodate our future growth. I’m grateful to both firms for their role in making ours the best it can be.

While we’ve been navigating an important professional transition at the office, the transition from 2022 to 2023 has been much quieter but just as meaningful at home. We celebrated Christmas a little early, so our family could celebrate the holiday all together. Carmen did a beautiful job getting the house ready for the holidays, and we were both very grateful to spend some uninterrupted time with the kids. It was the perfect way to end the year, as was our start to 2023. We entertained some friends at home on New Year’s Eve and kept it casual while watching some college football and just enjoying our favorite people. It was the perfect way to recharge, and as I look to the year ahead, I’m filled with optimism and excitement about the many opportunities to achieve more together.