John P. Keeney
CPWA®, CRPC®, CRPS®
President and founder of Keeney Financial Group, John has been consistently included on top financial advisors lists since 1987. Most recently, Barron’s recognized John as one of the Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in 2014 (ranking is based on assets under management, revenue generated by the advisor’s firm and quality of practice). John appreciates these honors, but finds his greatest achievement to be his clients’ trust and friendship.
John’s principles and work ethic were instilled by his parents and extended family early on when working in family businesses where he learned the values of hard work, personal ethics, dedicated service and building relationships. This early experience elevated his performance expectations and further fueled his dynamic, entrepreneurial spirit. As his commitment to service extends beyond the role of wealth advisor, John partners with local youth organizations and national charities to raise funds and simply try to make a difference by acting when there’s an opportunity.
“This ideal of wanting to put my clients and their families in a ‘better position’ is a huge catalyst for why I get up and go to work every day. The concept of leaving the next generation and community at large with the opportunity to flourish is deeply rooted. Treating clients like family means more than enjoying their company and caring about their interests — it also means ensuring that they receive professional advice, a sincere advocate and service that’s good enough for family.”
John and his wife, Elissa, have been married since 1993 and have three children, Carolyn, Nathan and Brian. John has many interests involving family and friends, including biking, golfing, traveling, wine and skiing. John regularly gives back to the community, serving as a coach and assistant on many children’s sports teams. John holds the designations of Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®), Certified Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) and Certified Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS®).
What extra lengths do you go that help your clients live well?
“I firmly believe that it’s the culmination of all that we do that allows clients to live well. Truly, the devil is in the details. They appreciate knowing that we will always go the extra mile, make the follow-up call, gain confirmation that expectations are met and always perform diligently. They come to expect what they deserve — to be taken care of and made to feel special.”
What is the foundation of your effective long-term investment strategies?
“No one can reliably forecast the market’s direction or predict which stock or investment manager will outperform, so we utilize asset allocation and modern portfolio theory as the foundation of our long-term strategies. Our financial advisors create customized plans and focus on what we can control.
Our strategies are centered on the following:
- Creating an investment plan that meets our client’s needs and risk tolerance
- Structuring a portfolio around the dimensions of returns
- Diversifying broadly
- Reducing expense and turnover
- Minimizing taxes”
Describe something unique about your professional background or investment outlook.
“While I enjoy conversations about market efficiencies and active and passive management, I also feel common sense is too often overlooked. I’m old fashioned. I am a saver. I don’t buy what I can’t pay cash for. I save my change.”
How do you see the importance of bringing technology, research and financial analysis into play for each client?
“All of these things are expected; we differentiate by what we do with them. You cannot deliver exemplary service without having robust systems and processes in place. Our firm’s back office has a ‘best-in-class’ mindset, which drives all of us to remain ahead of the curve for client services. To that end, I see advances in technology, research and analysis paying the most important dividend of all: Time. Time to prioritize and be proactive is what’s most important to our clients.”