In the past year, two-time Titan 100 Dave Spano, has helped Annex Wealth Management do more than grow – it is thriving. “I presided as we carefully built a dynamic team of financial professionals and shared in the elation as the Annex team passed some huge milestones, like when we first crossed $1 billion in assets under management, added new branches throughout Wisconsin, and then Florida, and continue to grow, today managing nearly $6 billion in assets,” said Spano, the chief executive officer of the fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm.
According to Spano, the firm plans to continue organic growth as it seeks opportunities to expand inorganically. This growth has included bringing on board a president, allowing Spano to forge ahead with growth plans as chief executive officer. “Growing things change – and we’re embracing the change by looking forward to new growth and the next generation,” said Spano.
Many core tenets of growth and marketing tend to stand unchanged through the years. However, platforms, strategies and messages must evolve in these quickly changing times, said Spano. “It’s important to not just have a working understanding of all that’s taking place around your business but to be able to strategize and anticipate change with your strategies,” he said.
The greatest leadership lesson Spano has learned this year is that trust is a critical building block in team building and there is a strong correlation between trust and psychological safety. “It’s critical to build that psychological safety and trust so that the team can operate efficiently towards our goals,” he said. “Respecting and listening, actively listening, allows us to learn from each other and allows both sides of the conversation to advance.” In fact, the future of work revolves around continuing to invest in teammates through education and career development.
Spano is also committed to fostering the next generation of titans. Under his leadership, Annex Wealth Management has developed a robust internship program for high school and college students. Many interns have been placed in key departments, from investments to financial planning to marketing, and interact daily with team members.
In addition to the internship program, Annex continues to foster paths for career development through the entire firm. “We have developed a program built around planning and visualizing paths so Annex can better support dreams and goals,” said Spano. “What we’re building is touching and changing lives, and there’s nothing quite like being part of a team all dedicated to such a meaningful goal.”