The Oberlander Timmerwilke Group, a team within Merrill Wealth Management in Chicago, IL, boasts senior members Sharon Oberlander, Andy Timmerwilke, and Thomas Ratos. With custodied assets totaling $2.2 billion, the team has a strong foundation in the financial industry. Sharon Oberlander, who initially aspired to be a social worker, transitioned to banking and eventually became a financial advisor at Merrill in 1978. Andy Timmerwilke, on the other hand, discovered his passion for the profession after college and joined Merrill in 2000. Despite starting out with separate teams, Oberlander and Timmerwilke joined forces in 2019 to provide financial services to high net worth families, entrepreneurs, business owners, and corporate executives.
Oberlander emphasizes the importance of giving each client personalized attention, regardless of their financial status. The team adopts a proactive approach by hosting educational events such as monthly virtual luncheons to discuss various topics including market outlooks, investments, cybersecurity, and cognitive decline. By actively seeking feedback from clients on how they prefer to be served, the team ensures that they are meeting their clients’ needs effectively. Oberlander’s long-lasting client relationships, spanning multiple generations, are a testament to the team’s dedication to providing tailored and customized services.
The team’s investment philosophy revolves around focusing on the long term and navigating through market fluctuations while generating income for their clients. They prioritize income-generating investments such as dividends, interest, and municipal bonds, in addition to maintaining a balanced portfolio of growth and value equities, with an overweight position in U.S. stocks. Retirement income strategies, including investments in dividend-paying stocks, are also a key component of their approach. Many clients have tactical allocations to alternative investments like private credit, private equity, and real estate to diversify their portfolios.
In terms of their investment outlook, the team remains optimistic about the market, citing strong corporate profits as a key driver. They anticipate broader market participation beyond a few select stocks, as well as potential benefits for small and mid-cap stocks due to lower interest rates. The team predicts that a normalizing yield curve will bring stability to bond markets and expects trends like artificial intelligence to continue fueling certain sectors. Timmerwilke emphasizes the historical trend of being rewarded for maintaining a positive outlook in the market, reiterating the team’s confidence in the current investment landscape.
Overall, the Oberlander Timmerwilke Group stands out for their personalized approach to wealth management, long-standing client relationships, and proactive investment strategies. With a focus on providing tailored services and generating income for their clients, the team remains optimistic about the market outlook and continues to seek opportunities for growth and diversification in their clients’ portfolios. Their commitment to client satisfaction and proactive communication sets them apart in the competitive financial advisory space, solidifying their position as a trusted partner for high net worth individuals and families.
