Welcome to the first issue of our company newsletter, The GTC Quarterly Adviser. With this quarterly insert to the ATG concept, we will keep you informed of our progress, opportunities for our members, and more. Future issues of this newsletter insert will deal with topical matters in trust administration, taxation, and estate planning. If you have any questions or would like more information about GTC, please feel free to contact us at 312.338.7878.
GTC MADE STEADY PROGRESS IN LAST TWO YEARS
Guaranty Trust Company (GTC) will soon complete its second full year in existence. At this time, we would like to bring ATG members up to date on what has been accomplished since we opened our doors for business.
Promotions
Our operations made an excellent start in Illinois in late 1998, promoting our services to Illinois lawyers and bar associations. In 1999, we expanded into Wisconsin when GTC became qualified to accept trusts in that state and began a marketing campaign to Wisconsin lawyers and participated in several State Bar of Wisconsin meetings.
Hank Blacharczyk, GTC President, and Dennis Norden, GTC Chairman, have been visiting with lawyers in Illinois and Wisconsin one-on-one, informing them about what GTC can do for them and their clients. To date, they have individually called on over 500 lawyers.
 Hank Blacharczyk, President |
 Dennis Norden, Chairman |
To date, GTC has conducted twelve estate planning seminars at various locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, with a total attendance of over 600 lawyers. GTC has made available to its members its excellent Will and Trust Form Book, ably prepared by Kirkland and Ellis. An updated version will soon be available.
In addition, GTC has convened six "town hall" meetings, where potential members learned how GTC furnishes its trust and investment services to clients.
Services
GTC has assisted several estate planning lawyers with their practice development plans. Services provided included media advertising, press releases, and co-sponsorship of client seminars. GTC has also sponsored seminars on estate planning for local bar associations, which are an important part of their communities.
Most important, GTC is doing what its corporate charter provides - accepting trusts and related business from lawyers and their clients. GTC has received full-service business in the following areas:
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As of the end of October 2000, GTC had over $70,000,000 in assets under management.
 Guaranty Trust Company Board of Directors. From left: Standing - William Austin, ATG Board of Directors; Dennis Norden, GTC Chairman; Peter Birnbaum, ATG President; Henry Blacharczyk, GTC President; and Michael Brown, partner with Schwartz & Freeman. Seated - Carol Madsen Simpson, Hattery, Simpson & West; Daniel Marsh, ATG Board Chairman; Andrew Dystrup, past ATG Board Chairman. |
GTC has also maintained sufficient flexibility to be able to offer "unbundled" trust and investment services:
- escrow agent for various types of escrow arrangements;
- custody, investment, or accounting services to executors and guardians; and
- investment services for "Starker" exchange funds.
Another aspect of this flexibility is the willingness of GTC to work with professionals other than lawyers, such as CPAs, stockbrokers, insurance agents, and financial planners. Often these other professionals are part of the estate planning "team" along with the lawyer. GTC recognizes that the resultant cross-referral patterns are important in estate planning.
Summary
In short, GTC has done, in a very short time, exactly what it set out to do. Its mission is, and continues to be, to furnish high-quality trust and investment services to lawyers and their clients, always keeping the lawyer closely involved. In this age of depersonalized banking and trust, imagine that.
© GTC vln1fall2000
© ATG atgc1100vol24
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