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BUSINESS PROFILES | MAY 2023 | HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL 17 "Strategy is a choice." S o says James Zahansky, principal/ managing partner and chief goal strategist at Weiss Hale & Zahansky Strategic Wealth Advisors (WHZ). Zahansky and WHZ Co-Founder, Principal/Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer Laurence Hale have built an entire practice around that mantra – and it's yielding results that go beyond monetary wealth. WHZ was founded in Pomfret in 2006. Zahansky joined as a partner in 2015 and began working with Hale to develop a strategic plan for the firm's future, as well as a formalized process for the way he and Hale intuitively worked with clients already. The result is the firm's "Plan Well. Invest Well. Live Well.™" process. It relies on a data- informed strategy in combination with an individualized, comprehensive and ongoing financial planning partnership clients. The ultimate goal? To help clients "Live Well" while providing an exceptional wealth management experience. Given the firm's healthy growth, it seems to be working. Today WHZ serves high-net- worth individuals, families, business owners, executives and nonprofits in 25 states. "Effective wealth management isn't just about the numbers," Zahansky says. "Strong investment and financial planning knowledge is key, of course, and our firm's growth shows our team does an excellent job there. But clients are not looking just for financial gain – what they really want are the goals and dreams that require money to achieve. Strategizing for those requires a proactive financial partner who can adjust the plan to keep things on track as life changes." "We have a variety of financial goals, both business and personal, and the team at WHZ have really helped us to align and prioritize all of them, which is no small feat," says Joanne McHugh, a current client. "They're also really agile and nimble, so when things change for us or the business, like when we had to pivot during Covid, they're right there to look at how that affects our business and our personal plans and then strategize on how to adjust. I really feel like Jim and the WHZ team care about us first, which is really important." Hale agrees it's that approach that sets WHZ apart and fuels its quality-focused growth. "Our service model is based on a long-term strategic approach and strong personal relationships that often continue with next- generation family members," he says. "I'm really proud of that, of the work our team does and the personal interest they take in our clients. The long tenure of so many of our clients proves the value we deliver and is the ultimate measure of success." WHZ isn't short on measures of success. The firm opened a second office in Tolland in February. In January it announced that for the ninth consecutive year all of its financial advisors eligible for the Five Star Wealth Manager Award (Laurence Hale, James Zahansky and Leisl Cording) were selected to receive it. In March, Cording was featured in FORTUNE magazine's "Five Star Wealth Managers Under 40" special feature. 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. Presented in November 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2,950 advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor's future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. Firm Goes Beyond Building Wealth to Guide Clients in Living Well Address: Pomfret Office: 697 Pomfret St., Pomfret Center, CT 06259 Tolland Office: 392-A Merrow Road, Tolland, CT 06084 Phone: (860) 928-2341 Fax: (860) 928-5271 Website: www.whzwealth.com Product or Service: Strategic and fiduciary wealth management services No. of employees: 12 Top Executives: Laurence Hale, AAMS, CRPS, Principal/ Managing Partner; and James Zahansky, AWMA, Principal/Managing Partner Year Founded: 2006 Pictured, first row, from left: Associate, Client Experience Concierge Jillian Smick; Manager, Client Service Hailey Costa; Associate Vice President, Wealth Advisor Holly Wanegar; Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Leisl L. Cording, CFP/CDFA; Associate Vice President, Client Experience and Relationships Kate Pitts; second row, from left: Associate, Client Service Matthew Allen; Associate, Client Service Brandon Koehler; Vice President, Associate Financial Advisor Michael Baum, CFP/RICP; Principal/Managing Partner and Chief Goal Strategist James Zahansky, AWMA; Principal/Managing Partner, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer Laurence Hale, AAMS/CRPS; Director, Administration Will Armstead.