Client Service

Christina McCabe

Client Relationship Manager

I cannot believe how fast 2025 flew by. This year, I discovered my love for cooking. I shared my weekends with a dear friend and his son, who were kind enough to be the taste testers for the new dishes I made. They encouraged me to enter the chili cook-off at the office, which I WON! I now hold the coveted Golden Spoon until next year’s cook-off unless I win again!

I spent the summer making changes to my home. Painting the inside, clearing out the items that no longer needed and making space for the new. I harvested grapes for the first time since they were planted in 2020! I am hoping for a bumper crop next year so that I can learn how to make jelly and maybe wine!

I’m so grateful for the chance to work with you this year. I have enjoyed getting to know all of you better, and I am looking forward to building on those relationships. Wishing you joy, peace, and time to celebrate with those who matter most.

Cheers to 2026!

Craig Garrett

Client Relationship Manager

2025 is closing out, and the Lee-Garrett household survived another year without adopting more animals (though the temptation was real). Instead, we filled our calendar with concerts, movies, and late nights with friends. February brought our big move to Mission, where Gilligan now rules his backyard kingdom and the cats conduct daily explorations. Bernard has chosen the porch crawlspace as his lair. Our garden, meanwhile, was a comedy of errors—plants grew, but mostly just to mock us.

June was our Chicago adventure: we met Sonja Morgan (yes, THE Sonja Morgan), picture to prove it! We sweated through the Bean selfie line, rocked out at a pier concert, and wandered the Field Museum until our feet staged a protest. Chicago in summer is no joke—it’s like living inside a hair dryer.

Now Andrew and I are ready for the holidays, with full hearts, a camera roll full of cat pictures, and the hope that next year’s garden will be slightly less embarrassing. Wishing you all joy, warmth, and a new year full of adventures worth retelling.

–Craig, Andrew, Gilligan, Barlow, and Bernard

Hayden Teruya

Client Relationship Manager

As the year wraps up, we just wanted to say mahalo nui loa for being such an awesome part of our journey. Your trust and support mean the world to us, and we’re so grateful to work with you.

Mele Kalikimaka and Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou! Wishing you a season full of joy, good vibes, and time with the people who matter most. Here’s to an amazing year ahead!

Heather Markovich

Client Service Manager

Happy Holidays!

As we wrap up 2025, I’ve been reflecting on what an incredibly full and meaningful year it’s been. I’m grateful for the opportunities, the challenges that helped me grow, and the people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside every day.

On a personal note, I enjoyed some beautiful day trips around Missouri to long-distance road trips to Michigan, made special memories during a wonderful summer with my son home from college, and got to see a few unforgettable concerts that added so much joy to the year. I also celebrated nine years with TRPG—a milestone that reminds me how much I appreciate this team, the work we do, and the support we share.

Looking back, there’s so much to be thankful for, and looking ahead, there’s so much to be excited about. I’m truly looking forward to a bright and meaningful holiday season and an amazing 2026 filled with new possibilities, continued teamwork, and moments that make us proud of the work we do.

Wishing you and your loved ones a season filled with warmth, rest, joy, and everything that matters most.

Happy Holidays and cheers to a wonderful year ahead!

Janet Jackson

Client Relationship Manager

2025 started with a horrific fire in Pasadena, CA. The shelter where I volunteer took in over 1,300 burned and displaced animals. So many lost so much, and I am fortunate I was not affected and that I could help. It’s odd thinking about what you have and what you would take if you had to leave quickly. Most things are just not that important.

It has been a busy year on the volunteer front. I fostered five separate kittens this year, getting them when they were just days old. They are fun and silly and have a good mentor in my one-and-a-half-year-old cat, Bear, whom I have had since he was three days old. I am working on my 16th Rose Parade and am excited to be hands-on with the floats again. I know a lot of people outside of Southern California have never watched, but it is worth seeing. I started tutoring a five-year-old boy with Down Syndrome in reading. It’s good for both of us; he is learning to put sentences together, and I am getting better at sign language. On a lighter note, I celebrated my birthday at Disneyland with my favorite Disney Princess, Elsa, aka Paige, my grandniece. I am fortunate to have nieces and nephews, and their three-and-a-half-year-old children, close by.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2026 to you and your families. I look forward to continuing to work with our clients.

Janis Milliron

Client Relationship Manager

Happy Holidays!

As I look back on 2025, it has truly been a year of goodness! Spending time with my family is always my favorite thing to do – a couple highlights from my year included going to the NFL draft in Green Bay, WI, which happens to be the home of our favorite Green Bay Packers, volunteering with my extended family doing highway clean-up a few times over the course of the year (people sure do throw out a lot of trash!), celebrating my niece’s graduation and numerous other family get togethers. A work-related highlight has been our transition to The Retirement Planning Group – it has been a lot of learning and extremely rewarding – everyone has been so kind and patient as we work through all of the changes. If you are in the Muskegon area, you know that communicating with our clients is the favorite part of my job, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming year.
May this year bring you lots of smiles and joy!

Janis Milliron

Jennifer Williams

Senior Office Assistant

Happy Holidays!

2025 has been another full and exciting year for our family! Joe and I celebrated our 30th anniversary with a two-week trip to the Hawaiian Islands -definitely a bucket list experience for me! We also enjoyed a much-needed week of rest and relaxation at the beach with the whole family before Owen headed back to Mizzou for his Junior year and Annie began her junior year of high school. Austin moved back home after graduating from college and started a new job here in St. Louis. We’re so grateful to have him home again, even if just for a little while. I recently marked three years with TRPG and continue to love the amazing team I work with- along with all of you, the clients we’re fortunate to connect with every day. From our family to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year!

Warmly,
Joe, Jennifer, Austin, Owen & Annie

Julia Desarro

Senior Client Relationship Manager

 Happy Holidays, Everyone!

This year moved quickly, marked by the kind of busyness that leaves you both tired and grateful. One of the highlights was traveling to the UK with one of my daughters to visit my mom – a trip filled with familiar comforts, new memories, and the reminder of how important it is to make time for family. Back home, we celebrated our youngest daughter’s college graduation, a moment that captured years of hard work, late nights, and dreams beginning to take shape. Amid these personal milestones, we joined TRPG in September! We’re learning the ropes, discovering a fresh community, and finding our footing, which is both challenging and energizing. Looking back, the year was certainly busy – but every step was meaningful.

It’s been a year of growth on every front – family, personal, and professional.

Wishing everyone all the very best for 2026!

Kayla Droege

Senior Client Relationship Manager

Happy holidays!

2025 was another exciting year at the firm! I am so thankful to be part of the TRPG team and to have the opportunity to work alongside our wonderful clients. I am proud to have been promoted to Senior Client Relationship Manager in September and look forward to continuing to grow in my role in the coming year. Ryan and I continue to pursue our love of travelling and feel very lucky to have visited Mexico, England, and Spain this year; experiences that we will treasure and hold dear for years to come.

I am entering 2026 with an open heart and plan to embrace everything the new year has to offer!

Kayley Nance

Office Assistant

Happy Holidays!

As I look back on 2025, I’m filled with gratitude for all the change, learning, and growth this year has brought. It’s been a year of exciting new beginnings — both personally and professionally. Joining TRPG back in September has been such a rewarding experience, and I’m genuinely thankful for the warm welcome, the opportunity to learn from my colleagues, and the trust of our clients. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the people and families we serve and contributing in ways that help support their financial goals and dreams. I’m excited to continue this journey in 2026 and embrace all the possibilities ahead! On a personal note, I also celebrated my son turning three in October — a milestone that reminded me just how much growth can happen in such a short time. It’s moments like these that put everything into perspective and inspire me to keep learning and moving forward!

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season filled with peace, love, and laughter — and a bright start to the New Year!

Kayley, Cameron, and Kaeson

Martha Paterik

Client Service Manager

Greetings and Happy Holidays!

2025 has flown by in a blur. After purchasing my first house in late 2024, I have spent much of 2025 settling into homeownership. I love finding furniture deals on Facebook Marketplace for my new home. I took a trip to New Orleans in February to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It was my first time visiting NOLA, and I loved it. The people were so friendly, and the food was phenomenal. The best thing I ate there was at Toups’ Meatery, a type of candied pork belly called Rillons.

I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time this year. I had 14 people in my house, & while we had to do some finagling to make space for the food & humans, it all worked out, everyone had a place to sit, and we enjoyed the time together. I am looking forward to hosting my nieces (10 & 8) for our annual Nutcracker Slumber Party tradition. We’re soon to welcome a new addition to the extended family, my sister is due with my 3rd niece in early January. I can’t wait! I hope that you and your families have a wonderful season.

I look forward to working with you in 2026.

Michelle Burchard

Director of People & Culture

Happy Holidays!

2025 flew by, and many memories were created. My husband and I are both blessed to work for companies that allow us the time and ability to travel. We made it to Belize for an amazing trip, and we had the opportunity to travel to Ireland with our family. Wonderful memories were created. Bringing our family together in Ireland was the highlight of the year. We are enjoying our grown children and this new stage of life with exciting jobs. I’m heading into my sixth year with TRPG. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of each of your life journeys.

Thank you for your trust and partnership. May your season be filled with laughter, warmth, and a little bit of magic.

Nancy Luther

Senior Client Relationship Manager

2025 seemed to fly by!

This year has taken us from coast to coast. Having children on each coast can be challenging. We started out this spring, travelling to San Diego to welcome our second granddaughter, Simone. Our son Tony and his wife Leslie now have two beautiful girls. What a blessing! We then headed to Florida for a long weekend with my sister. I love spending time with my best friend. Sunshine, good food, and lots of laughs! Thanksgiving took us to Boston to celebrate with my daughter, Claire, and her husband, Clay. This year, we drove and made a pit stop in Pennsylvania to visit with some of Greg’s family. In our spare time, Greg and I still enjoyed a few of our local road trips to get away and see the sights: covered bridges, farmers’ markets, and roadside diners. This Christmas should bring the whole family back together in St. Louis.

Looking forward to lots of food, family, and fun! Hoping the New Year is as wonderful as this one. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ruth VanderVliet

Senior Client Relationship Manager

Happy Holidays!

What a busy year 2025 has been. As the year started, my son Quinton relocated to Delaware for work and moved there with his Girlfriend Tiffany. I have enjoyed visiting them on many wonderful weekends and plan to do so many more. Amidst my travels this year, I was treated to an event at the Pittsburgh Steelers Stadium for Mother’s Day called “STEELHERS”. It included a Stadium tour, the locker room, fan-involvement games, and meet-and-greets with players and coaches. But my favorite was meeting Danny Smith (STC) and hearing his talk. He was so informative and funny. As the year went on, this Summer our family enjoyed a great week down the Jersey Shore for lots of sun and fun. Dogs included. Our Thanksgiving was truly a year for thanks. We all spent the weekend at my brother’s Pennsylvania lodge watching it snow, having fun, sharing time with each other, and indulging in the black Friday shopping at the outlets. August has marked a year of joining the TRPG Family, and I am very thankful to be able to work with so many amazing people.

As the year ends, I want to wish all a very Happy Holiday season and a Healthy New Year.

Always Ruth

Sarah Miller

Office Assistant

As we close out this year, I can’t help but reflect on how good God has been to me. His blessings have shown up in so many ways—through travel, family, friendships, and meaningful experiences that I’ll carry with me forever. One of the highlights was my trip to Boston, Massachusetts. Between savoring fresh seafood, cheering on the Bruins, and wandering the historic streets with some of my best friends, it was a trip that reminded me how much joy comes from exploring new places and sharing them with people you love.

Family has been at the center of my gratitude this year as well. My brother got married, and I gained a sister earlier this year, which felt like a beautiful full-circle moment as they grew up across the street from one another. On top of that, he graduated from physical therapy school, and celebrating his achievements reminded me how much perseverance and faith can accomplish.

I’ve also cherished the quieter moments—time spent with family, laughter with friends, and the chance to pause and appreciate how far we’ve come. Looking ahead, I’m excited for more adventures, more traveling, and more opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.

Shari Toyama

Office Assistant

It’s incredible how time flies, and it is nearly the end of 2025! As I reflect on this past year, the one thing I treasure most is my trip to North Carolina to visit my granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and two grand-puppies. It took over 20 hours to arrive at my final destination, but it was worth it because I got to spend Mother’s Day with them! I missed seeing my son by a day, since he had left for three weeks of training the day before I arrived, but that was okay. Hoping I’ll get to visit all of them, again, next year, and have more fond memories to add to my “treasure chest.” (This will be on my wish list to Santa. Lol!)

Wishing you a holiday season filled with peace, joy, and laughter – and may the New Year bless you with good health and prosperity.

With much aloha,
Shari

Tanner Twillman, MBA

Client Relationship Manager

Happy Holidays! As 2025 comes to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what an incredible year it has been, filled with milestones, adventures, and cherished memories. Early in the year, my sister celebrated her wedding, and later I proposed to Nicole—now my fiancée! We’ve officially begun the exciting journey of wedding planning and are thrilled about the future ahead.

Life in Tulsa has kept us busy and full of new experiences. Nicole is in her third year of medical school and has been working tirelessly in the hospitals during her rotations, gaining invaluable hands-on experience. Much of our year has also been spent traveling back and forth to Kansas City to visit friends and family, whether for holidays, celebrations, or simply to enjoy time together whenever our schedules allow.

As we look forward to the holiday season, we’re grateful for the love and support of our families and friends. With hearts full of joy, we’re eager to see what 2026 will bring and to continue building memories together.