Milestones: Gary Stone celebrates 20 years and more!

By Gary A. Stone, ASA, Manager at Swartz and Associates

Milestones

Milestones in life come in many forms, each with their own meaning and influence on our journey. A work milestone represents growth, hard work, and persistence. We also celebrate personal milestones such as earning our first driver’s license, leaving home, graduating from college or technical school, or turning twenty-one. Each of these moments has significance, and this year I have been fortunate to witness several of these milestones.

Carrying on a Legacy

In May, my daughter, Mariah, crossed the graduation line in her pursuit of her bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) at Rockhurst University.  She is now a third-generation nurse in our family!  My mother blazed the trail by obtaining her Registered Nurse (RN) license in the 1950’s, followed by Mariah’s mother, who earned her BSN and RN in the 1990’s.  For me, the impact of this milestone meant so much to me, not only because of how proud I am of my daughter’s accomplishment, but also because she is carrying on our family’s tradition of compassion and healing.

Happy 21^st Birthday

The second significant milestone was my son’s 21st birthday. This is so hard for me to believe! It seems like yesterday he was playing with trucks and dinosaurs. Because I can still remember that time in my life, I know he is excited about entering this phase of his life. It represents a certain degree of freedom, yet I know he understands it brings a higher degree of responsibility. I am so excited to see him pursue his dreams, and I feel fortunate to have a front-row seat.

20 Years – What??!!

This leads me to reflect on my own personal milestone. On October 3, 2025, I celebrated my twentieth anniversary working for the owner of our company, Don Swartz. There is no way in 2005 I would have predicted that I would work for him for so long. I am so grateful that he took a chance on me. The reason I have stayed for so long is because of our culture, which gives us the freedom to learn and grow.

Looking Ahead

So, what does the future hold? Who knows! But one thing I do know is our firm will always be a place that encourages personal and professional growth. That is what I believe sets us apart from our competitors, and it’s also why our team collectively brings over 100 years of experience to the table.

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!