For the past two years Pensionmark Jacksonville has been handling the retirement plans of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce.
The local office is family-owned and operated by Buck Blanton, who got his start in the insurance and investments-related field in 1981.
His wife Missy handles the communication and education side of things with employees, one of which is their son Tucker, who recently joined the business.
The Blantons have had a national affiliation with Pensionmark for about six years, which allows them the resources of a large company while maintaining a close-knit family atmosphere.
“We really wanted to keep our culture similar but also provide the latest and greatest,” Blanton said. “It’s been a good marriage for us.”
Part of that culture includes being able to easily adapt to the people they are working with by offering a hybrid approach that embraces technology but does not completely abandon the in-person model, which allows them to help a variety of businesses regardless of a company’s average age of employees.
“We like to keep a high-touch environment present, especially in a time when so many are going fully in with technology,” Blanton said. “However, we’re not naive and we have the ability to offer either option depending on client preference. We have a true hybrid operation thanks to Pensionmark.”
The partnership with the Chamber has continued to grow in the past two years and Blanton believes it is only getting stronger.
“They needed more help with their retirement plans, because like most businesses they don’t do retirement plans for a living,” Blanton said. “We can focus on their plans, so that they can focus on doing the other things they are associated with.”
One of those things is helping promote local businesses throughout the county and doing so while keeping up with the growth taking place in the county.
He works closely with Chamber president/CEO Isabelle Renault and vice president Aimee Stafford to make sure both entities are on the same page.
“Isabelle and everyone there are great people and easy to work with,” Blanton said.
According to Blanton, it is the “personal touch” offered that separates them from other companies.
An example of that, is that he puts his cell phone on all his business cards.
“That’s not a popular practice in business today, but we feel it is necessary because it lets them know that we’ve always got their back, as opposed to giving them a 1-800 number,” Blanton said.
Referrals and relationships are the major influencers that have allowed the company to expand its client base over the years.
They work with an array of businesses of all sizes, including some with only two employees and others with a staff of 100 to 1,000.
“No matter the size of the business, the issues are the same and the IRS doesn’t look at them any different,” Blanton said. “We can take over an entire company’s fiduciary process or just focus on certain parts where they need the most direction.”
Pensionmark Financial Group, LLC (“Pensionmark”) is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Pensionmark is affiliated through common ownership with Pensionmark Securities, LLC (member SIPC).
