The Enduring Power of Great Teams

By David Swartz, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

I’ve written about joining Swartz+Associates, my brother’s firm, in 2023 after spending 35 years in the financial services industry. The legacy financial firm, which once employed over 1,000 people in Des Moines in 1998 experienced many changes over the years and now employs only a small number of people locally. Most of my past co-workers remain in the industry through outside company acquisition or by joining or forming firms specializing in financial planning matters.

Members from this original firm recently held our fourth anniversary reunion to celebrate our joint efforts and teamwork. I proudly shared my original security badge picture preserving the notion that I still represent that younger version of myself. We mostly caught up on family stories and explained current professional roles, but it is remarkable that our collective expertise reflected so many different roles such as sales, operations, and legal/compliance.

Whether you work for a small firm like ours, or a multinational firm where I once worked, success in meeting hard goals and achievements are made easier when a great team is involved. These achievements are often hard to recognize or appreciate in the moment, but become better-celebrated over time when members are able to reflect on their involvement and contributions.

I am thankful for all the mentors and influential teammates with whom I have worked and am glad to add my three years of new property tax experience to Swartz+Associates’ 125 years plus of combined expertise!

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!