President
Your Valuable Team at the Helm
What many people don’t expect when they work with us — we’re human too. We’ve all made our fair share of mistakes in this world; many of these mistakes helped us become the competent advisors we are today.
Without these lessons, we would be left referencing textbook material and subjective news commentary, and that’s no way to run a business. Our hope for every one of our clients is that after each meeting, you’ll feel more confident and rest assured that your money is here to be an engine of opportunity.
Peyton R. Hawkes, AIF®
President
peyton@hawkeswealthmanagement.net
Hawkes Wealth Management began as Russell Hawkes Associates in 1981. Russell was my father, and I joined him in his firm in 1987. My dad's background included the insurance industry, where he was always planning-oriented, and wanted to help people in a very broad sense, rather than simply recommending products. He was also very equity-oriented, and designed plans to encourage saving in mutual funds. He had a brief 3 year hiatus from finance to start the BC Pops orchestra, which was a fun and engaging project that he thoroughly enjoyed.
In the early years of our firm, we were very planning focused. We always tried to account for retirement, college costs, taxes, insurance, and estate planning in a comprehensive way. We were an independent brokerage and insurance office, so we could actually implement these plans by selling products like mutual funds to our clients.
In 1995, we completed the conversion to a fee-only business model. We wanted to eliminate the conflicts of interest that come with commissions, and the transaction-oriented nature of product sales.In those early days, this was not an easy task; the financial services industry was not really geared up to serve the fiduciaries we were. But, thanks to our affiliation with NAPFA, we became part of the movement to be genuine advisors to clients, instead of product salespeople.
These days, it is clear that the industry has shifted to our vision of serving clients. Although the industry has fought a fiduciary standard of conduct? We have embraced it, and built our services on the radical notion that client needs come first and foremost. Now there are custodians and planning platforms designed specifically to serve the Registered Investment Advisory community, and all we can say is? It's about TIME!
Today, Hawkes Wealth Management strives to provide a modern, conflict-free, planning-oriented and client-focused service. We would like to be YOUR resource for establishing a financial plan, creating a strategy appropriate to you, and to put together an investment strategy that truly reflects your needs and goals. And then? To be there for you through the years. As markets move, and tax laws change, and investment opportunities arise and fade away, we will be paying attention. As your family moves through their life cycle, we will be the one place that understands the big picture.
Learn More About Me
If you had a million dollars to spend, what would be the first three things you would buy?
I would buy an RV and do financial travel-writing. A villa in Tuscany. Provide a fund for financial literacy for high school students
What’s the most likely place people could find you on a Saturday night?
Well, if I am involved in a community theater production, you may find me acting and singing for my dinner :-)
Which would you pick: Living on the beach or living near the mountains?
I like the beach for about 2 or 3 days. Then I get bored and hot and sticky with sand, so I head to a mountain lake for hiking and a quiet place to read.
Today's leaders seem to have a lot of trouble providing effective government What would you do to fix it?
The United States was conceived as of the people, by the people, for the people. Today? It is one big conflict of interest, and we have no representation. I would repeal Citizens United and get the big money and lobbyists out of Washington.
What does investing mean to you and how do you see the future?
We have a great opportunity to be owners of businesses through stock ownership. And frankly, you MUST be an owner, because it is ONLY the owners of the means of production that make money in real terms after inflation. The future? Markets provide the capital and direct it's efficient deployment, and that is the way it should be.
Professional Designations & Affiliations
Peyton Hawkes is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
Peyton Hawkes is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF)
Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) training empowers investment professionals with the fiduciary knowledge and tools they need to serve their clients’ best interests. Advisors who have earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation have gone through training, met the qualifications, and passed the exam allowing use of the AIF designation and they are immediately able to demonstrate the added value that they can bring to both existing and prospective clients.
Peyton Hawkes is Quoted in Advisors Magazine: "Retirement Planning Becomes More Difficult"
Peyton Hawkes is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau
Trust. Honesty. Integrity. We believe values matter, and we live by ours every day.
Peyton Hawkes Serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the SUNY Broome Community College Foundation
Peyton Hawkes is Quoted in Financial Advisor Magazine: "Keeping It In The Family"
Peyton Hawkes is part of the MD Preferred Services Network