As the Regional Vice President of Madison Planning Group, I specialize in helping clients achieve their retirement goals, setting up new investment accounts, and servicing existing investment accounts. I think the most exciting part of the business is that I consider my existing clients to be friends. My mother, who has been in the business for over 30 years, has many clients that we have known for quite some time. Because we have known some of these clients for so long and have helped them plan for their retirement, we are also presented with the opportunity to take on their children and grandchildren as clients as well, which encourages a welcoming family atmosphere over the span of generations.

I have personally served in the financial industry for over 13 years. Prior to joining the team at Madison Planning Group, I worked for MetLife after I attended Palm Beach Community College. I didn’t get started in the financial services industry until I was in my early thirties. I had always admired that my mother was in the business, but before then, I never saw myself following in her footsteps. She and a partner in business at the time offered me a position, but she didn’t want me to feel obligated to accept it. I took a little time to think it over and finally decided that it was time to start a new chapter in my professional life. Since then, I haven’t looked back – I find that working in financial services is extremely rewarding.

I love interacting with each of our diverse clients. Once a year, we see our groups at the worksite so that we can update any information and service their accounts as needed. When we have these meetings, we have the opportunity to help our clients with retirement planning and getting them on a timeline. I think one of the most interesting things about this job is seeing how loyal our clients are when they are presented with exceptional service. Some of them have been our clients for many years, and they are always happy to refer us to everyone they know.

I currently live in Lake Worth, Florida with my fiance of over twenty years, Anthony. I am fortunate to live in the same city as my parents, Janet and Bobby, and we are frequently visited by my three siblings, Craig, Bobby, and Connie. My personal life mission is to carry on the legacy that my mother began over thirty years ago. In my free time, I like to garden, spend time at the beach, and read.

Janet’s introduction into the financial services world came out of pure need. After she and her husband Bobby moved to Florida in the mid-80s, they were looking for group benefits. That’s when Janet discovered MetLife and her soon-to-be mentor, Ann Riley. “Ann took me under her wing and taught me the business, but even more importantly, she showed me what a difference I could make in people’s lives.”

Years later, Gary Schwartz opened another door when he asked Janet to head up Madison Planning’s new Florida branch. It was a perfect fit. Gary’s mother Miriam, also a MetLife veteran, had been assisting Janet for more than 20 years. Not only does Janet share Gary’s passion for serving her clients like family, but they are practically family themselves. Plus, as a true southern girl (she was born in Kentucky and raised in Mississippi), Janet loves Madison Planning’s laid back, no pressure approach to client service. “We never sell a thing,” she says. “It’s all about working with each client to understand what they need, and then figuring out the best way to help.”

At MetLife, Janet’s focus was purely Life Insurance. As part of Madison Planning, she is now able to expand that focus and offer her clients even greater value through the process of personal financial planning. “Financial planning is the ideal next step for our clients, many of whom are planning for retirement,“ says Janet. “Our goal is to help them make smart decisions that reach beyond Life Insurance and support every area of their financial lives.”

Janet lives in Lake Worth, Florida with her husband Bobby (“the love of my life!”). Together they have four children, including their youngest daughter, Tara, who has been working side by side with Janet for nearly a decade. “Once our clients realized Tara was my daughter, they fully embraced her—often literally! And those sincere hugs from our clients are one of the best fringe benefits of the job.”