In its early days, Buckingham had more office furniture than clients. But over the past 20 years, the firm has grown from its four founders, based out of cramped office space on Bemiston Avenue, into a thriving organization of more than 225 associates in eight locations across the country.

Throughout the firm’s evolution, co-founder Bert Schweizer has touched and enhanced nearly every aspect of the “Buckingham Way” with his passion, professionalism and guiding sense of purpose. After his innumerable contributions to the firm, involvement that has spanned two decades, Bert has announced plans to retire from his day-to-day wealth advisor duties at the end of this year.

Beginning in 2016, Bert will take on new responsibilities as a Client Experience Advisor. This new role was created for Bert and will draw on his strong communication, team-building and client experience skills.

“When I think of the ‘Buckingham Way,’ what immediately comes to mind is our continuing commitment to always put our clients first in every decision we make,” Bert says. “A second characteristic is our consultative process, how we work collaboratively with clients, our clients’ other professional counselors, and our team members at the firm.”

In his new role, Bert will help the firm’s advisory teams continuously improve the ways in which they deliver the experience Buckingham clients expect and deserve. Through a series of structured, multi-day programs, Bert will take up residency at different Buckingham locations to advise, evaluate and coach Buckingham advisory teams.

“At Buckingham, clients are at the center of our entire team of professionals” he says. “It’s an approach that fundamentally focuses on timely service and advice. It is a process that provides solutions for whatever our clients’ hopes, concerns and goals may be.”

This next step for Bert represents the culmination of a purposeful, formal leadership succession plan more than eight years in the making. It represents the final stage of a process that includes the transition of Bert’s client relationships.

“From a strategic standpoint, this transition originated from the fact that the firm is committed to an unparalleled client experience from one generation of clients and advisors to the next, and that doesn’t happen without a plan,” he says. “Its heart can be found in our formal leadership development program. We have a strong mentorship component and experiential process. It has been a very natural progression.”

Like other decisions Bert has made throughout his career, his choice to step into the role of Client Experience Advisor embodies his continued commitment to act in the best interest of both Buckingham’s clients and associates. His new duties will extend the mentorship, spirit of collaboration and client-focused direction that Bert has provided from St. Louis.

“It’s important for me to get out the way of our bright and talented next generation of advisors, yet still bring value to our clients and the firm,” he says.

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Buckingham Co-founder Bert Schweizer to Assume New Client Experience Advisor Role

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