But there’s a different side of knowledge when it comes to investment management, and that’s the wisdom gained by experience. That’s why Tom Sudyka, Lawson Kroeker Portfolio Manager, is thankful for decades of working alongside some investment management veterans.
Fine-Tuning Decisions Means Adding a Personal Approach:
Tom has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, but some of his most valuable lessons have come working alongside some great investment professionals. Tom says that at every step he has been able to work alongside excellent investment minds who have shared valuable experience with him. Years spent thinking and learning with some of the best minds in the industry helped Tom fine-tune his decisions for client portfolios.
“One of the things I remember Ken Kroeker, co-founder of Lawson Kroeker, telling me very early in my career was to take each client’s portfolio not only as if it were your own, but almost like it was your mother’s or your grandmother’s and treat it that way. We’re not trying to beat an index or trying to beat a benchmark. We’re trying to help them reach their financial goals. This requires communication and it requires thoughtfulness,” says Tom.
Investment Knowledge is Cumulative and Continuous:
For Tom, who’s experience prior to Lawson Kroeker was from larger national-scale firms, this concept was unusual. At the large-scale firms he had worked, it was rare to see an investment management team that valued these personal, trusted relationships with clients. Lessons learned from Lawson Kroeker co-founders Ken Kroeker and Frank Lawson continue to shape his approach to working with clients, and he takes pride in teaching these same principles to the next generation of investment managers.
“Investment knowledge has a cumulative nature, and the more you work in the industry, the more you have seen and can reference to apply to decisions,” says Tom. “Sometimes it’s good to just pause and reflect on this journey. I have been privileged to work with some of the best in my career.”
There’s a Big Difference Between Book Knowledge and Personal Experience:
Tom notes that the exposure to these senior managers still impacts the way he looks at investments and investment opportunities every day.
“There’s a big difference between learning from books and learning from others who have been there before, and I humbly say thank you,” says Tom.
At Lawson Kroeker, investment management philosophy and wisdom doesn’t just come from book knowledge. Clients can benefit from decades of cumulative experience and wisdom passed down from one generation of advisors to the next. Contact us today to see how three generations of ownership can help you paint your picture of success.