Last year was unique on many levels. The stock and bond markets had some of their worst years on record. Interest rates hit a 12-year high and the job market saw a lot of movement while unemployment remained low. It was a stressful and confusing year but, like all bad things, it came to an end and a new day started. The bond market has begun to rebound, the stock market is already up almost 7% as of this writing, and we have more or less returned to normal since COVID first flipped our lives upside down three years ago.
We experienced many changes at Heartland Trust in 2022 as well. We completed our conversion to Fidelity on our wealth management side. We added several new employees, including a chief operating officer who makes sure our business operations are running as smoothly as possible. We also promoted several team members. On top of that, we kicked off an office remodel project to add more workspace and to update other areas of the building.
While I am not disappointed to see 2022 gone, I am reminded of how our entire team came together. Through all of the challenges, we kept our commitment to deliver personalized service to help our clients reach their financial goals.
I am excited for what this year will bring. And I know we will stay dedicated to our company mission of serving the people, companies, and communities we work for. We wish everyone a happy and successful 2023!
