I had the pleasure of visiting with Reata Gross with Bison Wealth Management. She is a wealth of knowledge in many areas of the financial world and I’m glad to bring you a more in-depth overview of what she and Bison Wealth management have to offer.
Tell us about yourself and your background?
My name is Reata Gross, and I am the Director of Retirement Plan Services at Bison Wealth Management in Cheyenne Wyoming. I am a die-hard Wyomingite, having done my master’s in business administration at the University of Wyoming while also being a part of the UW Rodeo Team. I come from a small farm/ranch in southeastern Wyoming and was fortunate enough to marry into another farm/ranch family in the area.
How did you get into this field?
Coming from an agricultural background I have seen many family farms/ranches in the area struggle with succession and financial planning. My passion is to provide simple solutions to those common problems. After completing my bachelor’s in political science at UW I changed course and went into the MBA program. While in that program I also completed a minor in Certified Financial Planning. I began to see a big need in our area for simple financial planning techniques in Agriculture. Many farmers/ranchers are extremely adept at write-offs and running their operations however many also tend to avoid difficult questions such as, ‘what will happen when I pass away?’, because we all know farmers and ranchers don’t retire! Through my studies I noticed financial planning offers many solutions for this to ensure ranches can stay in the family for generations to come.
What specifically do you do?
My role is twofold, I am the Director of Retirement Plan Services and a Financial Advisor with Bison Wealth Management. As Director of Retirement Plan Services, I set up and explore retirement plan options for small and medium sized businesses in the area. We have a high touch service model and can price plans through any recordkeeper which allows us to have highly customized and affordable plans. It is my goal to simplify the group retirement process as much as possible for the individuals in the company that manage their plan. I also provide financial planning for a variety of different individuals and their family members. Our planning process helps us spot risks and gaps in your plan and goals for your future and then provide a way to fill those gaps and mitigate risks. Typically, it is not a matter of ‘if’ something will happen to you or your family but ‘when’, creating the need for a solid foundational plan that is then able to build on itself year after year, including in and after retirement. We then continually stress test your plan to ensure you stay on track for your goals as they grow and change with you. Some of the specific services we provide include:
• Financial Planning
• Estate/Generational Planning
• Tax Efficient Planning
• Business Planning
• Wealth Management and Investment Solutions
• Retirement Planning
• Education Planning
• Life Insurance, Disability, and Long-Term Care
• Employee Benefits
What is your favorite part of your job?
Many people have a misconception that financial advisors are only for wealthy or high net worth individuals. The best part of my job is working with traditional families to get them to their goals. I love being able to sit down with a family and listen to their goals and then provide a roadmap and see the progress that is made throughout the years.
What does your community mean to you?
Being from Pine Bluffs, our community is extremely close. I love the fact that I typically see someone I know when I’m at the grocery store or the gas station. As a tight community, promoting growth and supporting each other is paramount and made even more rewarding when you see a friend or neighbor growing and succeeding.
If you are interested in reaching out to Reata, you can reach her at 307-630-5983 or by email at reata.gross@nm.com. The Bison Wealth Management website is bisonwealth.nm.com.