Weekly Brief
×Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Financial Services Review
Financial Services Review: Specials Magazine
Earlier this week, one of those everyday moments with real impact happened at Envoy Financial. A client called in with what seemed like a routine request to help with a retirement withdrawal. But within minutes, it became clear this was not just another call. The woman on the other end of the line had just lost her father. She was overwhelmed, in a difficult financial position, and calling from her car in a Walmart parking lot. As she sat there, rattled by grief, someone even tried to open her door. The moment could easily have spiraled into chaos, but the client relations specialist stayed calm. She explained the tax details carefully, made sure there were no issues with outstanding loans, and set up everything through DocuSign so it could be processed without delay. Then, before ending the call, she gently asked if she could pray with the client. The woman agreed, and they prayed together. The client broke down in tears and said simply, “Thank you so much. God bless you.” For Envoy Financial, this is what stewardship really means. The numbers matter, but they are only part of the story. What makes the company stand out is its conviction that retirement planning can be transformational, not just transactional. Its mission is to serve those who serve others, ensuring that people in ministry can retire with dignity and continue living their calling. That mission is carried out through the collective effort of Envoy’s team. CEO and Managing Director Tim Newell and Vice President Tom Lau, together with every department and team member, shape a culture where retirement planning blends technical excellence and faith-driven purpose. “Choosing Envoy means partnering with a team that understands ministry as well as money,” says Lau. “We focus on bridging what we call the ‘ministry mismatch,’ creating retirement plans that align seamlessly with mission, values, and the unique financial realities of those who serve.” Ensuring Every Plan Reflects Compliance and Conviction That “mismatch” is more common than many realize. According to Newell, many churches that have retirement plans are in the wrong type of plan altogether. Many default to standard 401(k) programs, unaware that pastors and church staff would benefit far more from 403(b)(9) church plans, which offer unique tax advantages such as housing allowance eligibility in retirement.
Tax Compliance Services of the Year 2025
When it comes to tax compliance, an ideal solution should empower tax professionals, relieving them of manual processes, generic tools, and time-consuming data analysis. It should enable them to perform their work more effectively, either by directly supporting their core services or by taking on specific tasks they can confidently delegate. This allows them to focus on higher-value priorities in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. As global tax rules grow more demanding and audit scrutiny intensifies, modern tax teams are turning to platforms that simplify compliance, improve accuracy, and reduce manual effort. The shift toward automation and insight-driven tools is helping organizations stay ahead without overstretching limited resources. Supporting this transformation, Exactera delivers a comprehensive, technology-driven platform that helps tax teams meet evolving compliance demands with greater speed and confidence. By combining intuitive software with deep industry expertise, the company offers scalable solutions that streamline corporate tax processes and ease operational burdens. With a legacy rooted in supporting corporate tax departments, Exactera has long played a central role in transfer pricing. Over the years, it has expanded into R&D tax credits and the income tax provision, two areas where companies often face mounting compliance burdens and increasingly detailed documentation requirements. Through these offerings, the company remains true to its core mission: to simplify complexity, boost productivity, and ensure compliance. This mission extends beyond automation. Exactera helps tax professionals, whether service providers or MNE teams, reclaim time, reduce errors, and gain confidence in their reporting outcomes. “We are here to help tax professionals do their jobs better. Whether that means automating documentation, providing defensible benchmarking, or simply giving teams back their time, our goal is to be the partner they can trust and rely on,” says Michael Hickman, CEO. Integrated Solutions for Key Tax Functions Exactera delivers a cohesive suite of tools designed to improve efficiency across essential corporate tax operations. Transfer pricing remains the centerpiece of Exactera’s platform. This area continues to draw heightened attention from tax authorities worldwide. With regulators increasing enforcement and refining local documentation standards, companies are under pressure to produce timely, country-specific reports. Traditionally, this effort could take 25 hours or more per report. The company’s tools cut this time to around ten hours by automating key steps such as benchmarking, report generation, and data aggregation.
Top Financial Planning Service 2025
LaLonde & Gillin Wealth Management Solutions places deep, personal relationships with clients at the core of its operations. The team goes far beyond surface-level financials, taking the time to truly understand each client’s life vision, personal values and emotional connection to their wealth. This whole-person approach allows them to build customized financial planning and investment strategies that are fine-tuned to their present requirements and desired life goals. This insight forms the foundation of their detailed financial roadmaps—comprehensive, client-specific plans built through a process that blends data with meaningful discovery. Proactive risk management is a defining aspect of the roadmap process, helping uncover potential threats to investments and hidden risks that can derail clients’ long-term plans. From this roadmap, they deliver integrated solutions that cover investment management, estate planning and legacy building, charting a clear, personalized path to a more independent financial future. “We’re partners in our clients’ prosperity,” says David LaLonde, financial director. “We help uncover blind spots in their financial picture and guide them toward lasting wealth-building success.” Professionals, business owners, multi-generational families, current and former military members and retirees benefit from these holistic solutions. Whenever they feel overwhelmed by the complexities of handling their finances, LaLonde & Gillin provide straightforward answers to their queries. Beyond offering advice, they educate clients on complex financial topics that helps them gain clarity and confidence. From Deep Discovery to Desired Results Whether working for clients with a portfolio of a million or a hundred million dollars, LaLonde and client relations manager Nicole Gillin’s team believes in making clients feel supported at each planning stage. LaLonde & Gillin begin every planning exercise with the end in sight, focusing on what truly matters to the client and what needs to be done to protect it. Their deep discovery process starts with a fact-finding exercise, which involves a thorough assessment of the client’s assets, liabilities and spending habits, with a special focus on managing unexpected risks to their financial future. Setting them apart is their ability to uncover and solve problems clients didn’t even know they had. Many come in with seemingly strong financial foundations, until the firm’s discovery process reveals critical gaps and hidden risks.
Top Middle Market Private Equity Firm 2025
The same determination that built North America’s industrial legacy is driving companies today to modernize systems and streamline operations. MiddleGround Capital exists to channel that drive, helping businesses unlock overlooked opportunities and achieve meaningful growth. As a private equity firm, MiddleGround Capital is committed to rebuilding the industrial backbone of the U.S. by investing in businesses that are ready for transformation. The firm was founded by operators who have actually worked and driven change on the shop floor. Their experience fuels a strategy focused on operational excellence, innovation, and long-term value creation that endures well beyond the life of a deal. "At MiddleGround Capital, we don't just invest, we build. By applying operational expertise and industrial insight, we transform underinvested companies into resilient engines of long-term growth," says John Stewart, Founding & Managing Partner. Growth through Operational Expertise MiddleGround drives change that can be measured. It upgrades outdated systems, streamlines production by implementing LEAN manufacturing practices, and installs custom automation solutions to maximize efficiency. It also strengthens sales and procurement so they become engines of growth rather than afterthoughts. Central to this effort is its in-house operations team, which works closely with company leaders to tackle complex problems and deliver solutions that are sustainable, not temporary. MiddleGround’s work with Arrow Tru-Line demonstrates the impact of its approach. In September of 2025, MiddleGround Capital sold the company to The Chamberlain Group, a portfolio company of Blackstone. As the building products market fell and businesses struggled with rising interest rates and tariff uncertainty, MiddleGround pivoted from chasing revenue growth to strengthening profit margins. The firm uncovered value others had missed by optimizing material sourcing, improving freight efficiency, consolidating vendors, and refining pricing strategies. Arrow Tru-Line emerged more resilient and better positioned, a clear example of MiddleGround's lasting impact even in challenging conditions. MiddleGround combines structure, discipline, and collaboration to build lasting momentum. This approach renews strength across industrial businesses, supporting growth today and securing the future of American manufacturing.
CXO INSIGHTS
Enhancing Organizational Performance Through Strategic Planning
Paul Young, Chief Financial Officer, Liberty Bank − CT
Dealing With Global Tax Compliance
Sergio Vazquez, Transfer Pricing Director, CEMEX
The View from the Knife's Edge:A New Market Regime
Sébastien Page, CFA®, Head of Global Multi-Asset and Chief Investment Officer, T. Rowe Price
Navigating Retirement Planning in the Ever- Changing HR Landscape
Evren Yildirim, Director, Compensation & Benefits, Amco
Latest Trends in Investment Management
Darrell Van Amen, Executive Vice President & Chief Investment Officer, HomeStreet Bank
The Evolving World of Corporate Strategy and Finance
Felipe Izquierdo, Strategic Finance Lead, Remitly
Crafting the Future of Tax-Efficient Investing
Jeremy Milleson, Director, Investment Strategy, Parametric
IN FOCUS
Modernizing Tax Compliance Services for a Digitally Driven Economy
The tax compliance services market is evolving rapidly through automation, regulatory changes, and global digitalization, helping businesses minimize risks, reduce costs, and ensure consistent legal adherence.
Retirement Reimagined: Integrating Technology and Strategy for a Secure Future
Retirement planning services deliver personalized strategies, leverage technology, and manage long-term risks to help individuals secure financial independence and stability throughout all phases of retirement.
EDITORIAL
Strategic Agility and Resilience in a High-Stakes Investment Domain
Mid-sized investment firms operate in a space that is both dynamic and demanding, where strategic decisions are closely tied to how well financial and regulatory challenges are managed. The ability to anticipate shifts in governance, reporting standards, or jurisdictional requirements has become a defining factor in maintaining credibility with stakeholders. This environment requires more than compliance; it calls for foresight and a disciplined framework that transforms obligations into opportunities for operational strength and client trust. When firms embed this mindset into their operating model, they move beyond reactive measures and position themselves as agile stewards of capital. Streamlined practices reduce friction, while enhanced transparency builds trust with investors and partners alike. For those specializing in financial and retirement planning services, this approach ensures that clients receive guidance backed by rigorous governance and a forward-looking strategy. By treating regulatory precision as an enabler rather than a constraint, organizations can free leadership to focus on growth, innovation, and long-term value creation, turning complexity into a catalyst for sustained success. This edition of Financial Services Review explores how mid-market firms turn regulatory demands into strategic advantages, demonstrating that precision in oversight and disciplined execution strengthen operations, investor confidence, and long-term growth. Envoy Financial exemplifies this approach through Faith Driven Retirement Plans, helping ministries and nonprofits align savings with their mission while promoting values-driven financial security and purposeful retirement outcomes. It features Charles Levingston, EVP and Chief Financial Officer at EagleBank, and Steven Shafer, Treasury Innovations Team Manager at Bremer Bank, who share their perspectives on how disciplined oversight and forward-looking strategies are driving sustainable growth in today’s financial landscape. We hope this edition provides leaders with practical insights and guidance to strengthen resilience, build stakeholder trust, and foster long-term value in an evolving financial environment.
