Litman Gregory’s Connection to the California Central Valley

Litman Gregory’s connections to the Stockton and Lodi area began even before our firm’s 1987 founding, when co- founder Ken Gregory worked as an advisor in Stockton. Since that time, we have provided wealth planning and investment management services to individuals, families, corporations, and non-profits throughout the region, while partnering with trusted local professionals in estate law and tax accounting to support the needs of our mutual clients. 

In 2018, we shared the news that our advisory team expanded with the addition of Central Valley native, Danny Miladinovich, CFP®, CPA, who joined us as an Advisor. We are now pleased to announce an additional step in our ongoing commitment to serving clients in the Central Valley. 

Welz Financial Services Joins Litman Gregory

Effective December 31, 2018, Welz Financial Services, an independent advisory firm in Stockton, has become part of Litman Gregory. The founder and president, Taylor Welz, CPA/PFS, CFP®, joins our team as a Senior Advisor and the members of his team, Stacey Houston, CFP®, and Trudy Fitzpatrick, will join as well to support the transition and ongoing service as the Welz clients become clients of Litman Gregory. 

We have known and worked with Taylor Welz for decades, as our relationship and connection with Taylor go back over 30 years to when he first met Ken Gregory in Stockton, just before Ken and Craig Litman started Litman Gregory. When we launched our monthly newsletter, the No-Load Fund Analyst in 1989, Taylor was an early subscriber and since that time has used our investment research to inform his own portfolio management for clients. 

In describing his early impressions of Ken and Litman Gregory, Taylor recently wrote, “I first met and quickly became friends with Ken Gregory in 1986 when he worked in Stockton. Ken was a tax client, and fortunately for me, the first person I met in the investment field that had an investment process and approach that made sense to me. Up until I met Ken, most of the “professionals” in the financial field were usually pushing a product (insurance policies, annuities, or the hot deal of the day) and not a process. Ken and co-founder Craig Litman started their investment business in 1987 and have built an incredible firm. So, 32 years after meeting Ken Gregory and 25 years after running my own investment advisory firm, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Litman Gregory.” 

Our Commitment to Our Central Valley Clients and Friends

Our Bay Area–based advisory team members feel fortunate to strengthen their direct work with clients and colleagues in the Central Valley through the additions of the team from Welz Financial Services, as well as advisor Danny Miladinovich. With their help, we’ve increased our dedicated and local availability for questions and in-person meetings and general support for clients in the Central Valley. 

In addition to expanding our team, we expect to follow in early 2019 with news about the establishment of a Litman Gregory office to further deepen our ties with the Central Valley community. We are grateful to our clients and professional partners for the trust and the warm welcome we have always received, and we look forward to opening our local doors soon. 

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