Back Row: D. Ryan Thompson, John Leeming, Joel Oldham. Front Row: Jerry & Fay Bainbridge. accounts by Charles Schwab. This means funds are never comingled and clients benefit from significant regulatory oversight and 24-hour access to their accounts through Schwab’s secure account portal. Regular communication is also a priority. Monthly client newsletters, along with mid-year and annual reports, provide insight about investments. Clients also receive reports from Schwab, and J.L. Bainbridge advisors are readily accessible to address questions or concerns. “We don’t have layers of people to go through to get answers. Our clients even have the cell numbers of the people who manage their investments,” Thompson said. “The level of transparency is exceptional.” That transparency extends beyond current clients. Anyone can get a report of the firm’s investment results via the website. With such a strong emphasis on openness and accessibility, creating a welcoming atmosphere is paramount, and the J.L. Bainbridge team is unanimous in crediting Fay Ellen Bainbridge with doing just that. The office has a warm atmosphere and
reflects the Bainbridges’ love for the local community, as much of the artwork came from the Downtown Merchants Association. “When we built this building, I said if we are going to come to work here every day, it’s going to look like home,” she said. “We like to have clients and prospective new clients come and visit us in the office.” Clients and prospective clients also are put at ease because the professionals at J.L. Bainbridge are well known through their active service on nonprofit boards and other community involvement with causes important to them. “We got into this business to help people, and we believe in giving back,” Oldham said. “All of us get deeply involved with our clients and their families. In a lot of cases, they think of us as friends and trusted confidants. We are really good listeners who know that everyone’s goals are different, and we want to be a partner who helps them achieve those goals.” For detailed information about the J.L. Bainbridge investing program, please visit the website: www.JLBainbridge.com.
APRIL 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE
71