A Year of Growth, Service, and Gratitude at Gates Pass Advisors
As we close the chapter on 2025, all of us at Gates Pass Advisors find ourselves filled with gratitude for our clients, our community, and the many experiences that shaped us both personally and professionally this year.
In the spirit of transparency, warmth, and connection, the values at the heart of Gates Pass, we want to share a few year-end reflections from our team and celebrate the milestones that strengthened who we are as a firm.
Our Gates Pass Team: Serving Together
This year, we deepened our commitment to service by supporting the Teen Kitchen Project, an organization dedicated to nourishing families facing health crises with nutritious, lovingly prepared meals. Instead of volunteering on-site, our team created heartfelt cards during our August Retreat for inclusion in meal boxes—small messages of encouragement meant to brighten someone’s day. Taking time together to craft these notes reminded us why we do the work we do: to help people feel supported, cared for, and a little less alone during life’s transitions.
Serving as a team grounded us, and we look forward to making this an annual tradition.
Team Member Highlights:
⭐ Katy: New Beginnings and Meaningful Milestones
Katy’s year was full of transformation: in life, career, and community.
A New Season of Life
She became an empty nester this spring, celebrating her children spreading their wings.
Joining Gates Pass Full-Time
After contributing as a contractor, Katy transitioned into a full-time role this year, strengthening operations, supporting clients, and enhancing the work of our entire team.
Adventures & Celebrations
- Traveled to Mexico for the first time
- Celebrated 20 years of marriage
- Transitioned from life on the road to becoming fully stationary in the beautiful Georgia mountains
Giving Back Locally
Katy also led five volunteer service projects within her local community, living out a core Gates Pass value: serving others with compassion and purpose.
⭐ Erik: A Year of Milestones: Both Personal and Professional
2025 brought major achievements for Erik, each one a testament to his dedication and heart.
A Home of Their Own
His family officially bought the home they’ve been living in since moving to Washington, a place that’s become both a haven and the backdrop of many new memories.
Professional Triumphs
This year, Erik passed the CFP® exam and will soon hold the designation alongside his CFA and CeFT® credentials. This rare blend of expertise strengthens our advisory team and deepens the quality of planning support we provide to clients.
Family Joys
- At home, both boys entered elementary school, marking a new chapter of independence and discovery.
- And the family grew by four paws with the arrival of a new puppy!
⭐ Esther: Honoring Legacy, Friendship, and the Joy of Exploration
This year was rich and meaningful for Esther, full of connections to both the past and the present.
A Milestone Birthday in Tucson
Tucson holds a special place in Esther’s heart. She attended and graduated from the University of Arizona, met and married her late husband there, and even named Gates Pass Advisors after a cherished spot in the Tucson Mountains.
Returning to Tucson for a milestone birthday brought all of that full circle. She reunited with longtime friends, including the professor who first opened the door to her 30-year journey in financial planning. It was a homecoming grounded in gratitude, legacy, and purpose.
East Coast Adventures
Esther also carved out time to travel this year:
- Attended her first NFL game
- Reconnected with friends she has known since 6th grade and high school.
- Visited her childhood home, and even stepped inside for the first time in decades
- Journeyed from the 9/11 Museum to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, taking in the powerful stories woven into those places
More Time Outdoors
Closer to home, she embraced more local hiking—choosing fresh air, quiet trails, and time away from screens. Those restorative moments reflect her deeper values: long-term relationships, community, and creating a life rich with meaning beyond the office.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
As we reflect on the year behind us, we are reminded that financial planning is never just about portfolios or numbers; it’s about people, stories, transitions, and the meaningful moments that shape a life.
Thank you for trusting us, sharing your journey, and inviting us to help make some of your most important decisions.
We look forward to walking alongside you in 2026 with the same dedication, clarity, and care that defined our work this year.
May the year ahead bring hope, health, and peace to you and those you love. Warmest holiday wishes from all of us at Gates Pass Advisors.