2019 Greenleaf Notables

It’s hard to believe that 2019 is almost over. Time sure does fly, and it seems even more so for me considering the late submission of this article. I ask forgiveness from our newsletter editor as it has been a busy year for Greenleaf Trust. By many measures, this has been a successful year for us as well. So as we approach the end of the year, I think it’s important to take a step back, breathe, and be mindful of what we have accomplished in 2019.

Our team of “Greenleafians” continues to grow. In 2019, we hired 15 new teammates. We now have 136 teammates in our five Michigan offices and Delaware bank. Our hiring goal from the beginning in 1998 has been to build a diverse and talented team with an unwavering commitment to hire each one better than our best. We also are passionately focused on providing our teammates with a workplace culture that engages and inspires them. If we are successful, those talented teammates do great things for our clients during a very long career. Our measurements in 2019 were 99% client retention and 97% teammate retention.

Our unique workplace culture was also validated in 2019 with 10 new awards recognizing our human capital practices and ranking us relative to best practices and best companies. All of the awards were based on survey input from teammates.

As our team grows, so does our need for space. Construction, or more aptly reconstruction, has started on our new home in Traverse City (second floor of the Old City Hall) and expansion efforts have begun in our Birmingham office as well. We are also excited to announce that our offices in Kalamazoo will be expanding into more of the building immediately to the south of our main office where our Retirement Plan Division resides (277 Rose St.).

Greenleaf Trust of Delaware continues its growth, too, as we now have approximately $2.2 billion under administration at that bank. The attractiveness of the trust and tax law advantages create what we refer to as the Delaware Advantage for our clients.

Finally, our Retirement Plan Division that provides retirement plan services to corporate clients has exceeded $1.2 billion in plan assets under advisement in 2019. We now administer retirement plans for over 150 clients and are helping more than 22,000 plan participants save for their retirement effectively.

I’m excited to tell you about these accomplishments in 2019 because they are tangible and all aligned with our desire to purposely grow and continuously improve the service we provide to our clients. Our success in 2019 is meaningful and a direct result of exceeding our clients’ wants, needs, and desires. We hope your holidays are filled with joy and we look forward to a successful 2020.