What you do at work and what your kids think you do can be two different things at least, that’s what the financial professionals at Northwestern Mutual – Chicago learned this summer. For the fourth consecutive year, close to 50 children ages two to 12 descended upon the Chicago-based financial planning firm for the annual Bring Your Child to Work Day. 

“This is one of our favorite special events that bring together our personal and professional families,” said Nikki Perryman, director of operations. “It’s a great opportunity to plant seeds of knowledge in the next generation on the importance of financial planning, show them different careers paths and help instill the value of helping others.”.

For some kids, the fun part of the day started with the train ride to the office or elevator ride to the 46^th floor of UBS Tower, located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Once gathered in a training room with spectacular views of Chicago’s skyline, the program started off with the question: “what do you think your mom or dad does at work all day?” Their curiosity was piqued when a small green pig with the words invest, spend, save and donate was brought out. 

“Penny the Pig has become a perennial favorite to help introduce the concept of financial planning to young children,” noted Michelle Romano, chief financial officer. “At the same time, we want to share our firm’s philanthropic initiative to help kids and their families who are faced with childhood cancer.”

With a book in hand, Anna Gilchrist, an associate with the firm, read the children Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand, the true story of Alexandra “Alex” Scott and her courageous, inspiring battle against childhood cancer through a lemonade stand. The kids then made lemonade ‘to go’ kits and helped raise funds for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Of course, no day is complete without fun and an obstacle course, coin treasure hunt and a game of jeopardy followed by a make your own snack bar, which were all hits. 

Perryman and Romano, along with Robert Hughes, the firm’s Chief Operating Officer worked together to launch the first Bring Your Child to Work Day in 2014. This year’s planning committee included: Lindsey Daehnke, Director of Marketing and Communications at the office of John Roland, CLU, CFP® ; Tara O’Dea, Planning Department Supervisor; Nikki Perryman, Director of Operations; Michelle Romano, Chief Financial Officer and Chuck Volpentesta, Financial Advisor.

Impacting the lives of college students and opening doors to a career with purpose is what drives Jeannie Andresen.  Her passion and commitment to make Northwestern Mutual - Chicago’s internship and post-graduate programs the best in the country inspires those around her.  Her professionalism and leadership have seen her grow from a college financial representative to a campus recruiter to now the Director of Internship Development.

“Jeannie has been an invaluable member of the team expanding our relationships on Chicago area campuses, recruiting and developing program participants and forming a team of campus recruiters and advisor leaders,” said Corey D. McQuade, Managing Partner.  “She is one of our top young leaders and we are excited to see her drive this program,” he added.

“Our program is an unparalleled opportunity to grow both personally and professionally,” said Andresen. “We provide our college financial representatives an opportunity to learn the importance of financial planning while at the same time developing their business skills,” she added.

The Northwestern Mutual – Chicago internship and post-graduate program provide participants with real work experience in a diverse work environment. They receive financial planning training centered on growing their knowledge while being mentored and coached by some of the most successful financial representatives in the firm.  As they begin learning the roadmap to financial planning, college financial representatives attend client meetings with current financial representatives and develop skills in networking and business relationships. Social and philanthropic events are also part of the program.

Andresen has firsthand experience in the program, having joined the financial planning firm in 2011 as a college financial representative while a student at DePaul University.  After test driving the career of a financial representative she discovered her true passion was in recruiting for the internship program.  She joined the team as a Campus Recruiter in 2012 and in 2015 was promoted to Associate Director of Internship Development, a position she held until being named Director of Internship Development in 2017.

Andresen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising from DePaul University.  A belief in personal and professional growth, she achieved a Certified Coach credential and is pursuing the Chartered Leadership Fellow designation through the American College.

A local resident, she is an active supporter of the Northwestern Mutual – Chicago childhood cancer initiative volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in Chicago and helping raise funds for childhood cancer research for the company’s non-profit partner, Alex’s Lemonade Stand. 

Collaboration and innovation produce winning results on a daily basis for the financial professionals at Northwestern Mutual – Chicago. But add in a friendly competition at the financial planning firm’s Annual Field Day and it’s all about winning the trophy. 

“By nature we are a highly passionate group and it was fun to see our perseverance transfer from our work to our play,” said Kim Ritchell, Director of Recruitment and Selection. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some of our firm members are in training for next year’s events.” 

Under the guidance of Ritchell and Dionna Johnson, Recruiter and the unofficial Chief Fun Officers, the competitions included a tug of war, paper airplane making contest, basketball toss and other relays and games to challenge skills.

When the competitions concluded, it was Dionna Johnson, Recruiter, and Financial Advisors and Representatives Dario Bolanos, Tommy Parks, Jason Conger and Geoff McCammon that won the coveted trophy.

Northwestern Mutual – Chicago Wealth Management Advisors Mike D’ Aquila, Ben Voigt and Adam Waitzman have joined their financial planning practices to create Heritage Planning Partners. The new wealth management practice brings together the experience and expertise of the three founding members, the resources of nine highly qualified financial professionals and the strength of Northwestern Mutual.

“This is a special opportunity for our advisors to be innovative and build a comprehensive, long-term, financial planning partnership with their clients,” said Corey D. McQuade, Managing Partner of Northwestern Mutual – Chicago.  “The ability to draw on the team’s collective experience and specialized knowledge in areas such as investment strategies, risk management solutions, trust services and employee benefits will deliver a unique client experience,” he added.

Embracing a core value of practicing the “golden rule,” the team is guided by a pledge to do what is in the client’s best interest, always. All three have achieved national recognition among Northwestern Mutual financial professionals for helping clients plan for and achieve financial security through the prestigious Northwestern Mutual Forum.

It’s this level of success and our fundamental belief that achieving financial peace of mind requires a partnership not with just a client and their advisor, but a client and a team of financial professionals that brought us together,” said Michael D’Aquila.” Working together, we can bring a higher level of service to each of our clients.”

About Heritage Planning Partners

Chicago resident Michael D'Aquila started his practice while he was still attending Loyola University Chicago as a College Financial Representative. While finishing his degree in Finance, Michael had the opportunity to grow his practice and learn the fundamentals of the financial security business and joined Northwestern Mutual in 2003. Michael holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ (CFP^®) certification and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®) designation. He specializes in working primarily with people in the finance and capital markets industry.

Benjamin Voigt graduated from the University of Notre Dame and began working as a consultant at Accenture.  He joined Northwestern Mutual in 2001. Ben holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™(CFP^®) certification and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®) designation. He specializes in working with business owners, financial services professionals, and executives.

Adam Waitzman graduated from The University of Illinois-Chicago with a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship and joined Northwestern Mutual in 2002. He has also earned the professional designation of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®). Adam specializes in all aspects of planning for those in the medical field, business owners, and retirees.

In addition to the three founding members, Heritage Planning Partners financial professionals include:  Christine Bouchend’homme, Director of Operations; Julie Scott, Investment Operations Associate; Ashley Davis, Investment Operations Associate; Jennifer Levin, Investment Operations Associate; Melissa Waitzman, Insurance Operations Associate; Noreen Presbitero, Insurance Operations Associate; Grace Pennacchi, Insurance Operations Associate; Kathryn Hickman, Marketing Associate; Liz Mraz, Marketing Associate; Matthew O’Malley, Financial Planning Coordinator; Michael Ferak, Financial Planning Coordinator; and Gaby Judge, Assistant to Financial Planning Coordinators.

There were a lot of helping hands, both big and small when Northwestern Mutual – Chicago transformed its office into a production line assembling goodie bags for hospitalized children. Tables filled with books, toys, puzzles and other goodies were overflowing as volunteers packed more than 70 bags that were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s Hospital.

The volunteers also made personalized cards with uplifting messages for Cards for Hospitalized Kids and helped raise funds for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

In 2014, the Chicago-based financial planning firm joined forces with Northwestern Mutual’s national childhood cancer initiative to accelerate the search for cures for childhood cancer and to provide support for families fighting the disease. Through an annual golf outing, hosting lemonade stands in the community, running as charity runners, and other fun events the firm raises funds for the childhood cancer research and its non-profit partner Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.    

To help support local families, in 2015, Northwestern Mutual – Chicago and its district offices in Northbrook, Oak Brook and Rosemont, began a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. The financial planning firm regularly engages its associates with days of service providing meals for families staying at one of the five local houses.  In 2016, in conjunction with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, the firm presented a $25,000 grant that supports local programming.

This is the second year that the firm’s Childhood Cancer Impact Committee has organized the care package event. In 2016, care packages were made for hospitalized children at  The University of Chicago Medicine Comer’s Children Hospital.

The Northwestern Mutual – Chicago Childhood Cancer Impact Committee includes: Nikki Perryman, Kara Knipps, Jenny Eason, Martha Glodz, Jamie Schrad, Cassie Brehmer, Molly Phalin, Devon Anthony, Matt Ward, Angela Cappelluti, Jack Wambach, Brian Dwyer, Dionna Johnson, Kevin Reddington and Amita Gupta.