What caused you to select Chevy Chase Trust as your new home at this stage in your career?

I decided on Chevy Chase Trust for several reasons but primarily for its commitment to an innovative and differentiated approach to investing – called thematic investing. It is what I call the “special sauce.” I also appreciate the firm’s size as it is very accessible to people who are exploring firms and considering their options. Here at Chevy Chase Trust, each client is appreciated and given the time and attention they deserve. No short-cuts here. Further, all the top-quality expertise at the firm is local, deeply experienced and dedicated to client service and success.

I’ve been in the business for over 25 years now and have found that while the big organizations tend to talk about strategic investment allocation versus tactical, they are really practicing buy and hold allocation. And they’re using “mid”, “small”, and “large” cap identifiers and, essentially, indexing the market. Amy Raskin and her team are practicing sophisticated thematic investing by deeply researching the disruptive trends and individual equities. This is a unique differentiator, and it adds a perspective and advantage that clients cannot get anywhere else.

 

How have client expectations changed?

Clients are more sophisticated now and have more options than ever before–particularly with online and self-directed investing. The complexities of the investment space have increased rather than decreased and having the sophistication to simplify and distill the issues for clients is essential. Also, being able to fully integrate investment objectives with a family’s long-term estate and tax planning is very important. It’s great to have all that expertise in one place.

Clients do have high expectations as they should. Chevy Chase Trust adds value that makes it worthwhile to sign on as a client.

 

What is your next goal as you get settled at Chevy Chase Trust?

My next goal is the opportunity to help grow the market in Virginia. I’m excited to take what has worked so well at Chevy Chase Trust thus far and help define the firm in Virginia. With a Virginia focus, I believe we can stand out among the competition and be more broadly recognized as the hometown provider of exceptional quality for clients. I want every attorney helping private business owners in Virginia to think of Chevy Chase Trust as a partner of choice for their clients.

 

Did you have a mentor?

Yes, I did have a mentor and he was a banker’s banker. He is now retired but I still think of him often. He was a founder of Fairfax Bank and Trust in Fairfax, Virginia and hired me as a young twenty something. He encouraged me and helped me and eventually, we went through an IPO, purchased 2 or 3 different organizations from the RTC and grew rapidly. Our bank became part of F&M Bank in Virginia and eventually had about $1.9 billion in assets when we sold to BB&T. I wore many hats during this time period. He always had faith that I could figure it out. It was largely due to his confidence in me that I created my self-confidence and love for the business.

 

Do you mentor others?

Yes! And there were many tears when I left my last job because I always tried to help out others along the way. Because of what my mentor meant to me, I have kept that in a special place. In this profession, we sometimes spend more time with the people we work with than our own families. So, if I can help someone and make their life a little easier, that’s great. I’m a helper when I can be and want to keep paying it forward.

 

What advice do you have for someone considering a career in wealth management?

The high and ultra-high net worth space is a growth area and will continue to be. Look at population trends and the production of wealth in U.S. You can see the highest areas of potential growth are in wealth creation and wealth preservation. It’s also a truly interesting area. It is intellectually challenging and always changing. But at the end of the day, our business is a people business and you have like people and enjoy helping them. This must be at the core of one’s motivation. If it is, then everything else will fall into place.

 

How do you spend your time when not at the office?

I have a husband, adult children, grandchildren, and two English Springer spaniels. My husband has two sons and I have two daughters. We split our time between Virginia and Florida, and we enjoy our family. I am involved in the arts. I love and support the Opera and live performance and theater. I’ve been very blessed to have served on a number of boards. I am currently a member of the Shakespeare Theater Board and a past board member for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and the Washington National Opera.

Ramona Mockoviak‘s Bio »

 

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