Port People: Meet Thomas Burleigh, CFP with CMH Wealth Management, LLC

We’re pleased to introduce you to Tom Burleigh, CFP, one of CMH Wealth Management, LLC’s newest wealth managers. Tom joined the North Hampton team in June of this year, bringing over a decade of financial services experience to the firm.

We asked Tom a series of questions to learn more about his background and what he thinks is the most interesting aspect of the firm, among other things.

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, CMH Wealth Management, LLC offers clients investment management, estate planning, risk management, retirement planning and family transitions.

Q: Where does the name of the firm originate? What does CMH stand for?

A: The name of the firm is an acronym for the firm’s founding members: Brian Carolan, Karen McCloskey, and Kristen Hanley. Brian, Karen, and Kristen worked together for a number of years before setting out together to found CMH.

Q: This is the firm’s 10 year anniversary—congratulations! What can you attribute to its growth and stability? How has the firm changed?

A: We were so fortunate when we first launched the firm to have a long working history in the Seacoast and good relationships with other professionals in the community that referred their clients. Our growth since then has really been a testament to the loyalty of our clients and the support of other professional services partners who help to provide comprehensive service to our clients. Our growth has allowed us to add some great depth and resources to the team, but the entire team still understands that we are only here because our clients put their trust in us. We are grateful for that responsibility.

Q: Many advisors at the firm have a background in banking—why did they make the move from private banking into financial planning? Does this background offer a competitive advantage to clients?

A: The founding team worked in private banking together and our core services were and are investment management and financial planning.  We believe that our banking background and institutional money management experience gives us a valuable perspective to advise clients. Many of us also worked within trust departments, which provided a unique perspective on the challenges faced by trustees, beneficiaries, and executors.

Q: What is truly unique about your firm that is different than any other wealth management firm? What can the firm offer that no one else can?

A: There are a number of great firms out there that are focused on serving their clients. We find that clients work with us because they enjoy our approach and trust that we have their best interests in mind. We get to know our clients on a very personal level, so choosing the right team is a personal decision. We would encourage anyone to choose an advisor that they trust and enjoy working with. 

Our clients are a varied group. Some are raising young families, while others are a couple decades beyond their working years. Some are busy building businesses and others are considering the legacy they want to leave. Our advisors work within a team to provide the right amount of time and expertise to each individual client. We strive to serve each client with a unique approach to match their unique circumstances.

Q: Does anyone at the firm have any special talent(s)?

A: I believe our team works very hard to personalize every interaction a client has with CMH. The result is a deep understanding of each family. This allows us to provide the necessary resources and care to help families through the good times and the bad

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Newburyport?

A: I don’t think you can talk about Newburyport without discussing some of the great restaurants. From the bakeries to the top-notch restaurants, it’s a good thing Newburyport is such a great place to walk off a dessert! Karen and her husband Brian live in town with their family. 

Q: What advice would you give to a young aspiring financial professional?

A: A career in financial services can be very rewarding. With a variety of jobs available, it’s a matter of finding the right match for your interests and skill-set. From there, the most important step is finding a firm or team that is really focused on serving clients. I normally advise young professionals just starting out to work for a large financial services firm to learn the financial planning and investment process.

Q: What accomplishment(s) is the firm most proud of?

A: We are proud of, and grateful for, the clients who have become part of the CMH family. We are proud to have built a sustainable firm that employs 8 people and has the depth to provide a high level of service to our clients.  The ultimate compliment is when a client contacts us for assistance in areas that may not match our exact field of expertise. They know we will assist directly if possible, or work to connect them to the right resource.

Q: What is the most interesting aspect of the firm?

A: For clients who have visited us close to lunch time, they know the whole team sits down for lunch together. You won’t see any sandwiches at desks or behind office doors. It’s a great time to take a break from our work and talk to each other on a personal level. We have covered topics ranging from 80’s music to the most important component of a Thanksgiving dinner (spoiler alert: it’s the gravy).

Q: Is the firm involved with corporate philanthropy?

A: A number of our employees are involved in local non-profits, either sitting on boards or through philanthropy opportunities. The firm fully supports these commitments by providing employees with the flexibility to attend meetings and events to support our local non-profits.  In addition, we support many local charities through the NH Charitable Foundation, Seacoast Mental Health, and various other causes.

Q: What are the firm’s goals for the future?

A: Our goal is to maintain the culture and service level that we have worked so hard to establish. We always welcome the opportunity to work with clients and professional service providers who can appreciate our approach.