Six months after Aaron Vissia expanded AV Financial into a renovated second building on Johnston Road, his burgeoning “one-stop shop” for financial services is already changing.
Vissia has added a new certification to his own list of accomplishments, his staff has changed and some “spare” square footage has now been tranformed into a self-contained rentable conference area that the community at large may use.
AV Financial will hold an open house this Friday, Oct. 3 from 3–6 p.m. for the public to come and see the changes.
Vissia recently earned his Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation, to add to his CFP, RPA and GBA.
Vissia bought the building beside his in May 2013 and renovated it with a west coast style, using reclaimed logs and other features.
“I had a vision of trying to make it look like the existing building,” said Vissia, who has been at that location for seven years.
While Vissia is the financial planner, he is only one part of a team at AV FInancial, he says. Kaitlyn Deforest is the office manager and is also studying to become a ilcenced administrator, which is a mutual fund licence.’
“She’s the glue,” says Vissia. “She keeps everyone organized and does it amazingly well.”
Lauren Skinner is a tax professional, offering tax preparation.
Rabinder Dhillon is a mortgage expert with Dominion Lending Centres Arrowsmith, who moved her business into AV Financial’s space.
Kim Chretien joined the team as a bookkeeper three months ago, and manages the office books as well as other clients.
Jaymie DeLuca joined the team three months ago as a second administrative assistant, leaving her job as a phlebotomist, or a medical professional working for insurance companies. DeLuca had temped briefly for Vissia years ago, and when a job opened up she applied.
Vissia has transformed one-third of the building into an 800-square-foot conference room with a separate entrance, kitchen and bathroom. He plans to rent out the space to anyone needing a small conference area, and also plans to run seminars educating the public on financial matters.
While AV Financial seems well rounded, “there’s room for growth in the business,” says Vissia. He would like to see another financial advisor—and then who knows? “Come and see me again in six months.”
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