Mainebiz

B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S 52 Lebel & Harriman Retirement Advisors Measuring success beyond profitability W hat do the words "financial services f i r m " bring to mind? Probably not a lively group of 20 to 60 somethings who frequently gather mid-office to recap a client meeting, celebrate earning a new relationship with high fives – or the new "fist bump" equivalent – share "good news" of the week (both personal and professional) on a white board or collaborate with colleagues on a subject beyond their expertise. And yet, that's exactly the vibe that exists at this 44 year-old company. "Lebel & Harriman Retirement Advisors is the antithesis of your traditional advisory shop, and yet we are continuously expanding our market share of business and individual clients in New England and beyond" says CEO, Jennifer Breton. Equally important, Lebel & Harriman (L&H) has dozens of rela- tionships that span a decade or more. Every one of these is precious to us. We recognize that consumers can easily access good advice from a host of local firms, or virtually. Our team genuinely cares for those who choose to place their trust in us, and we take every opportunity to deepen our connection with them, whether it's in the board room, on the soccer field, at the grocery store, on the slopes or out at sea. What most differentiates L&H is the experience we deliver along the way. Our founders, Phil Harriman and Mike Lebel, are to thank for planting those roots. Formation and evolution of the firm Mike and Phil formed Lebel & Harriman, LLP in 1978. ey pioneered the concept of providing independent advice, while most of the industry was peddling proprietary products. Based on his own personal experience, Phil was passionate about helping business owners protect their income and assets with insurance solutions. And despite being told there was no money to be made in the retirement plan arena, Mike embraced the promotion of 401(k) plans as an alternative or supplement to defined benefit pensions as written into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Phil and Mike's shared commitment of treating others the way they wanted to be treated cultivated strong relationships and friendships in the community. With growing success, they began adding to their team. First Laurie Reed to support retirement plan clients. en Rebecca Burchill to support insurance clients. As business owners and 401(k) plan participants began asking for help with managing other assets, retiring, gifting and more, Michelle Romano was brought on board to manage their personal assets. Jennifer Breton joined a few years later, bringing expertise as a fiduciary advisor to retirement plans and helping Lebel & Harriman build out a "best interest advice" model long before it was mandated. Today, these four women have between 16 and 30 years tenure with L&H. ey serve as the "Leadership Team" and manage day- to-day operations, human resources, finance and business develop- ment along with advising clients and mentoring the next generation. We're proud to be one of the few financial service firms across the country owned and operated by women. e four of us are so grateful for Phil and Mike's trust, support and friendship. We've learned from them that success should be measured by the strength and duration of client relationships, the tenure of our team and the many referrals we receive from existing customers, ERISA attorneys, CPAs, ird Party Administrators and retirement plan recordkeeping partners. Prepared for the future Because everyone here is focused on doing the right thing – every time – and treating people the way they'd want to be treated, Lebel & Harriman's three business lines have experienced tremendous growth, especially the financial planning and consulting services introduced nearly a decade ago. We continue to be perfectly postured for the evolving needs of our clients. Consulting and insurance services expertly help clients at every life phase – determining whether they're on track to retire comfortably; meeting shorter term goals like buying their first home or helping with their children's college expenses; exploring B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F L E B E L & H A R R I M A N Above, from left to right, the Lebel & Harriman Retirement Advisors team: Front row – Michael Lebel, Vickie Bell, Rebecca Burchill, Laurie Reed, Linda MacMillan, Zach DeQuattro. Middle row – Bernadette Pesce, Michelle Romano, Jennifer Breton, Grace Bennett, Emily Helliesen Day, Amara Young. Back row – Owen Ramsay, Nate Moody, Nate Chisholm, Philip Harriman, Matthew Arey, Jonathan Blaisdell.

• Cover