On the evening of Friday, September 20, Oak Partners hosted its 13th annual Oaktoberfest celebration at Bulldog Park in downtown Crown Point. Oak Partners has established itself as a reliable source of financial advising in the Region for over thirty years. According to a poll that Oak Partners conducted, Oaktoberfest is their clients’ favorite Oak Partners event of the year. The poll’s accuracy was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, as over 570 of Oak Partners clients came out to enjoy the company, live music, food, and drinks.
Marc Ruiz, senior wealth advisor at Oak Partners, considers the Oaktoberfest an excellent opportunity to thank the clients for their support throughout the years.
“This event is a great way for us to do something for our friends and clients who give us so much and make our business successful,” Marc Ruiz said. “We’re a NWI firm and we have a great partnership with Bulldog Park. This is an excellent location for our Oaktoberfest and we’re glad to be a part of Crown Point’s great community. Hopefully, everyone leaves here having enjoyed each other’s company on this beautiful fall evening. I don’t want anybody to have to talk about investments or economics, we’re just going to enjoy the celebration. We know Fridays are precious, so we are very grateful that our great clients came out to hang with us tonight. It’s truly a privilege to have them here.”
Originally, the Oaktoberfest was held in the parking lot of Oak Partners’ office in Crown Point and drew about 200 people. Thirteen years later, the number of attendees has nearly tripled and the festivities needed to be moved to another location. Some of the partners and clients set up their lawn chairs in groups under the park’s open-air pavilion while others set theirs up in front of Bulldog Park’s Franciscan Health Amphitheater to enjoy the live music.
According to Mike Barancyk, senior partner and wealth manager at Oak Partners, the Oaktoberfest is just one of the many ways Oak Partners expresses its appreciation for its clients.
“I believe this event shows just how much we care about our clients,” Barancyk said. “It shows that we are more than happy to use some of the money that they pay us with to let them enjoy themselves. This is our way of saying thank you and giving back to them. We support our clients in other ways throughout the year, too. For example, we hold educational events across the Region in which we discuss topics like how the upcoming election will affect the economy. Giving back to our clients is the topmost priority for us. Tonight’s event is all about spending time with our clients and making sure they have a great time.”
Merrillville-based restaurant Mission BBQ provided some delicious barbecue along with an array of side dishes like mac ‘n’ cheese. Bulldog Park Beverage Stand attendants served up ice-cold beer in cans or fresh from the tap. The attendees could also enjoy bottled water and soda if they chose.
Mario Ruiz, partner and financial advisor at Oak Partners and brother to Marc Ruiz, views the Oaktoberfest as something of a family reunion and enjoys the opportunity to enrich longtime client connections while cultivating new ones.
“The Oaktoberfest is both a casual and fun event,” Mario Ruiz said. “I hope the clients get to see that their financial advisors are kind and approachable because I’d like them to feel comfortable coming to us for honest answers to their questions. I also hope that they enjoy the family atmosphere and have a good time interacting with friends they may have referred to us or been referred to by. A lot of our business comes from referrals, so this is a great opportunity for us to maintain our connections with clients as we enjoy this beautiful evening. My clients tell me all year round that they really enjoy this event and each year they ask if we’ll be having it again.”
Local band The Crawpuppies performed covers of a wide variety of songs including “Something In the Way She Moves” by the Beatles, “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Baby Blue” by Badfinger, and “Just What I Needed” by The Cars.
For more information on Oak Partners and the services it offers, please visit oakpartners.com. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.
