2015 Trusted Advisers Insurance Agent: Jason Gaynor

There are many factors Jason Gaynor keeps in mind when cultivating client relationships.

He says his practice is built upon understanding the needs of each individual client, educating the clients in simple terms of the available solutions, implementing the chosen solution and servicing the client’s ongoing needs.

Another biggie is trust, which Gaynor defines in a four-prong answer: client focus, collaboration with the client, the potential for a long-term relationship and habitual transparency in transactions, the latter of which Gaynor ties to his overall role.

“My role is to provide transparent and understandable solutions to each client’s needs, and provide them with the education necessary to make a prudent decision,” he says.

Gaynor says he ultimately strives to find solutions that simply work best for the client, even if it doesn’t make the most financial sense for him.

“In many cases, the best solution for the client is the product that pays the least amount to the adviser,” he says.

That belief, however, hasn’t stopped Gaynor from making money.

“My practice of providing simple, transparent solutions has helped me to amass over $30 million of assets under management in just 10 years,” he says.

When looking at the big picture, Gaynor says his greatest impact is felt through retirement planning and families who are dealing with death proceeds. He cites one example where the widow of a client called him following her husband’s death the night before.

“He was the lone income provider for the family, and she was clueless as to what to do,” Gaynor says.

With Gaynor’s guidance, the life insurance proceeds were invested to preserve the principal for future generations and provided no loss of income.

“To this day, she is one of the most appreciative clients that I have, and relies on my experience and expertise in all of her planning,” he says.

The examples abound. Gaynor mentions another client who was living on a dwindling income from certificates of deposit before turning to him for help.

“We invested the assets in higher yielding securities, and now my client travels nonstop throughout the year, and on one occasion called me to tell me about the brand new car she had just purchased, and that it was only possible because of me,” Gaynor says. “It was an amazing feeling of accomplishment.”

That client trust has lead Gaynor to a bevy of awards through New York Life, including  New Associate Of The Year in 2008, Associate Of The Year in 2012, First Year Commissions Leader for three years and Mutual Fund Production Leader in 2014.

Gaynor has been a New York Life Executive Council member since 2006, a New York Life President’s Council member and a Chairman’s Council member. He’s been part of the Mainstay Investments Million Dollar Club since 2008 and was a qualifying member of the Million Dollar Roundtable for three years.

Gaynor serves as financial adviser for the Springfield-based Hamels Foundation, which leads his civic work outside the office.

Gaynor annually sponsors the Hamels Foundation’s Diamond in the Rough event, as well as fundraisers for the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.