New financial group forms to offer complex of services

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Terry Shaw, Sharon Faulkner and Sherry Werner believe that meeting clients' diverse financial and investment needs takes a team effort. |ret||ret||tab|

So, the three joined together to form Shaw, Faulkner and Werner Financial Group Inc. to provide, under one roof, accounting, tax, full-service brokerage, insurance, trust and comprehensive fi-nancial and estate planning services. |ret||ret||tab|

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Partners' specialties|ret||ret||tab|

Each partner has his or her own area of expertise. Shaw, the company president, has more than 17 years' experience in the banking and investment industries and also has worked more than 15 years as a licensed securities representative. |ret||ret||tab|

Faulkner has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Southwest Missouri State University, is a general securities principal and also holds a Missouri life and health broker's license. She also is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service. |ret||ret||tab|

Werner has a bachelor's degree in accounting from SMSU and works as a licensed securities representative. |ret||ret||tab|

Faulkner and Werner previously were principals at Faulkner Financial Services Inc., a firm Faulkner helped found in 1980. Faulkner Financial Services initially specialized in accounting and tax preparation. In 1983, however, it became one of the first accounting firms in Springfield to offer its clients investment services. |ret||ret||tab|

Over the years, more and more of the firm's accounting and tax clients began relying on it to handle their financial and investment needs, Faulkner said. By 2001, financial and investment services accounted for 60 percent of the firm's revenues.|ret||ret||tab|

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BMA affiliation|ret||ret||tab|

Two years ago, Faulkner and Werner decided to affiliate with BMA Financial Services, a full-service brokerage house in Kansas City that offers a wide range of financial products and services including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, needs analysis and wealth planning. |ret||ret||tab|

The affiliation put them in touch with Shaw, who worked for the company at the time. As they began working with Shaw, they saw that he possessed the expertise needed to expand the investment services segment of their business. In July, they approached him about starting a new company, and he left BMA to join them in doing so. |ret||ret||tab|

"Forming a new company and starting over with a new name lets people know our emphasis has shifted," Faulkner said. "The biggest change I think our clients will notice is our team approach. They'll now have access to three people with different areas of expertise. Many people have an accountant over here, a broker over there and so forth. Working as a team will allow our clients to consolidate all their financial matters in one place. It also allows us to give them the best service possible."|ret||ret||tab|

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Government regulations|ret||ret||tab|

According to Werner, it has become increasingly difficult in recent years to keep up with all of the government regulations regarding employee pension fund plans as well as the rules governing the buying and selling of securities. The tax laws also are changing.|ret||ret||tab|

"One person can't keep up with all the changes," Werner said. "If someone asks me a question that falls outside of my area of expertise, I know I can always get the answer from one of my partners."|ret||ret||tab|

Diversifying internally also has helped promote internal cross-referrals. For example, accounting and tax clients who work with Faulkner or Werner will be referred to Shaw if they need help starting an investment portfolio. |ret||ret||tab|

According to Faulkner, the new company will continue to serve the more than 800 clients who did business with Faulkner Financial Services.|ret||ret||tab|

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Client-driven expansion|ret||ret||tab|

"Our expansion really has been client-driven," said Faulkner. "Twenty years ago, our clients were mainly interested in accounting and tax services. Then, as their needs changed, we started handling their IRA's and investment portfolios. Now, some of our clients who have been with us for 20 years are looking to us to help them with their trusts and estate planning needs."|ret||ret||tab|

Three years ago, Faulkner Financial Services began offering trust and estate planning. These services will continue to be offered through the new company, which is affiliated with Midwest Trust Co.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition, the Financial Group is working to increase the financial and investment services it offers clients. Shaw works with many of these clients, buying and selling securities and helping them design their investment portfolios. |ret||ret||tab|

"We've really taken a comprehensive approach to helping our clients," said Shaw. "People's needs change as they grow older and their financial matters become more complex. Now, our clients can have all their financial needs met in one place." [[In-content Ad]]