Dave Grove and Mandy Norman of Edward Jones in Panora.
Dave Grove has been leading the Panora branch since 2011.
By Rich Wicks | Panora Times
Edward Jones has been providing financial advice and guidance in Guthrie County for more than 30 years. Dave Grove has been leading the Panora branch since 2011 and says he likes what the community has to offer. He and his wife, Sara, moved to Panora in 2012, and their three children, Norah, 11; Gracie, 9; and Leo, 7, attend Panorama Community Schools. The Grove family enjoys participating and being involved in the community.
“It was a nice move from the metro area of Des Moines to a smaller community where we wanted to raise our children. It’s a great place to run a business and build a business. It’s nice to go to the office each day and hang out with our clients who have become our friends,” Grove said.
Edward Jones is a Fortune 500 company and employs more than 50,000 people in the United States and Canada. The company recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. Despite the size of Edward Jones, by placing its offices in the communities it serves, it provides the small-town touch with the backing of a large firm. The branch office staff includes Mandy Norman, branch office administrator. Norman brought more than 20 years of industry experience when she joined the team three years ago. She has been part of the community for more than 25 years and lives in Panora with her husband, Cory, and son, Avery.
Talking personal finance is an intimate subject, and Grove said it is key to understand what is important to each investor.
“We use what we call the five-step process at Edward Jones: 1) understanding where you are at, then 2) understand where you’re trying to get to, 3) developing a plan to accomplish that objective, 4) implementing the plan and, finally, 5) regularly following up on the plan,” Grove said. “We focus on each individual client and that person’s unique situation and goals. This isn’t rocket science; there is a lot that goes into understanding a person’s situation and making a recommendation. The variables are many, from Social Security, pension plans, 401Ks, taxes, 529 college savings plans and many more considerations. We try to sift through all the data, and making sense of it all takes perspective.”
Looking to the future, Grove expects to see continued change in the industry, and he plans to keep learning the ways to help his clients.
“We’ve seen some pretty substantial growth over the last 12 years, and that keeps us busy each day,” Grove said. “The industry is always evolving, so we need to stay on our toes and keep up with the evolution of the financial industry.”