One sure sign fall has arrived in the tall-corn state is the Iowa-Iowa State football game, a classic intrastate athletic rivalry that also pits friends and neighbors against one another in a friendly game of teasing and nudging.
Vince Sturm, manager of the Perry branch of Generations Wealth Advisors, likes to get the party started early with a cookout for Cyclone and Hawkeye fans. Sturm’s third annual event drew about 120 friends, clients and football fans to his office parking lot Thursday for a few hours of burgers, brats and brews — and lots of lighthearted football talk.
“I’ve been with this firm for four years,” Sturm said, a 16-year veteran of the investment business, “and we’ve been hosting this event for three. It just gets bigger every year.” Sturm and his wife, Kristen Sturm, live in Waukee but have a lot of friends in Perry, and most of them stopped by Thursday between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Generations Wealth Advisors took over Financial Benefits, a fixture in Perry financial circles since 1986, earlier this year. Generations is an investment-management company “dedicated to providing comprehensive and innovative financial solutions to affluent individuals, families and their future generations,” according to the company’s website.
Sturm’s office assistant, Kerry Ballantyne of Des Moines, kept the potato salad flowing and the buns warm while greeting visitors to the cook-out. She was joined by her parents, Jim and Linda Ballantyne of Boone, and her 5-month-old son, Rory.
“I started with Vince last August,” Ballantyne said, “so this is my second Iowa-Iowa State tailgater. Perry’s got some really friendly people. It’s a great place to work.”
Many of Sturm’s clients appeared to know one another, and they chatted over their cheeseburgers and chips.
With their main offices in Waukee, Sturm, Ballantyne and the Generations Wealth Management team help their clients “invest their money, manage important aspects of their financial lives and oversee their financial relationships,” according to the website.
“Whoever ends up winning on Saturday, we always have a good time on Thursday,” Sturm said. The event wound down shortly after 7 p.m., and the sprinkles held off until then.
