2019 Volunteer Challenge Project
Our team is pleased to announce our 2019 non-profit partner for the Volunteer Challenge. Paxinosa Elementary in Easton is located in the West Ward and is designated as a Trauma Sensitive School. With the help of our Communities in Schools coordinators, Valley National is going to create a much-needed “Just Press Pause” room for teachers to recharge, reset and reduce stress.

VNFA In the Community
We are proud to support our community of estate professionals as a sponsor for the Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley’s seminar today on “Estate Planning in a World of Rapidly Advancing Technology.” As technology plays a bigger role in our financial lives, it is critical that we understand how it impacts our estate planning in accessing our accounts and in securing digital assets. We will share more with you on this important topic in the future.

The Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley was founded in 1967 by a group of 10 estate planning professionals. As an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP^®), our own Laurie Siebert is part of the board for the council. In addition to her participation, many others from our advisory team are council members. Laurie also discusses Estate Planning topics regularly on “Your Financial Choices,” which airs weekly on WDIY 88.1FM. Visit yourfinancialchoices.com to listen to recent recordings on this and other related topics.

TAX SEASON OFFICE HOURS
Our offices will be open on President’s Day (February 18) and Good Friday (April 19), despite the market holidays. Additionally, our Bethlehem and New Jersey offices will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to Noon, February 9 – April 13 for tax preparation document delivery and pick-up. Meetings are by appointment only.

Meet our tax season interns!

They will be assisting our tax preparation team with document intake and digital set up as well as providing support on special projects.

All four students were selected for Valley National’s tax season internship program, which is in its fifth year. The program is designed to provide real-world experience for individuals interested in a career that may include tax planning. Tax interns are exposed
to and participate in every part of the process, working alongside seasoned CPAs and financial planners in a professional office environment.

Interns from past years have gone on to have successful careers in a variety of different fields, including finance & accounting – most notably, our own Brinda Vyas, Junior Accountant at Valley National Financial Advisors joined the team after her internship and subsequent graduation from DeSales University in 2016.

Valley National Financial Advisors welcomes Eric Cedor to the team as Senior Associate.

Eric will work out of Valley National’s Bethlehem office as part of a service team supporting clients in the areas of wealth management and financial planning, as well as continuing professional development through the firm’s Entry Level Professional (ELP) program. The ELP program, now in its seventh year, is specifically designed to prepare the next generation of Financial Advisors at Valley National with key skills and knowledge.

“Our ELP Program continues to be a valuable initiative as we focus on long-term succession for our Financial Advisors,” said Matthew Petrozelli, Chief Executive Officer. “It is important that our clients have a trusted team that supports their personal financial advisor today, and the peace of mind that their service relationship with VNFA will stand the test of time.”

Eric has four years of industry experience. He holds his Series 7, Series 66 and Series 99 securities licenses, and is working to obtain the Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance license. Eric has a B.B.A in Economics from Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

Eric lives in Bethlehem with his fiancé. In his free time, he is passionate about karate and enjoys teaching others.

Eric can be reached at ecedor@valleynationalgroup.com or at 610-868-9000 x 134

We’re seeking a full-time Operations Associate to join our team in Bethlehem to manage all aspects of wealth management fee billing and commissions. READ MORE about this position and apply online at our website: valleynationalgroup.com/join-our-team

As we usher in 2019, our team reflects on the people who matter so much to us – our clients. Without you, we would not have the pleasure of living our purpose to help others. We thank you for your continuing trust in us.

Our offices will close at 1 p.m. with the markets on Monday, December 24 and remain closed Tuesday, December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will be back to normal hours on Wednesday, December 26.

We are pleased to announce that Associate Financial Advisor, Jessica Goedtel, has earned the Certified Financial Planner^TM (CFP^®) professional designation.

The marks mentioned above, identify those individuals who have met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements of the CFP Board of Standards, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP^® Certification Examination covering the following areas: the financial planning process, risk management, investments, tax planning and management, retirement and employee benefits, and estate planning.

Jessica joined Valley National Financial Advisors in May 2016 as Associate. The following year she was promoted to Senior Associate, and in 2018 was given the title of Associate Financial Advisor. Her CFP^® certification makes her the ninth on the team at Valley National – the most of any financial planning firm in the Lehigh Valley.

Our Bethlehem and New Jersey offices will be closing at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 14^th so that our team can celebrate the holidays together. For our clients, we are still accessible if you need us urgently!