At the end of each year, we bring you the latest news from inside CJM’s office. The spirit of the season has us shift our focus from portfolio management and financial projections to celebrate all the wonderful things that happened this year, since we all know life is about more than money.

More the Merrier

We are thrilled to have added two team members to the CJM family throughout the year.  They each bring unique experience and knowledge to our team that compliments and enhances our strengths. We asked them to share a few thoughts about their experience with CJM so far, read below for their answers.

Karen Blair – Working at CJM has been such a rewarding experience. I feel fortunate to work with such a great group of clients and teammates. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.  My favorite part of my new role as a co-planner is the opportunity to build deeper connections with our clients and becoming closer to our team here at CJM.  I’m excited to take a more active role in client meetings and continue building strong relationships with our clients. On a personal note, I’m looking forward to traveling more in 2026.

Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my almost-two-year-old nephew and exploring everything the DC area has to offer.

 

Mary Price – This year at CJM has been a highly rewarding experience! Since joining the firm in August, I’ve genuinely appreciated the opportunity to be part of a team defined by camaraderie and a deep dedication to our clients’ success. The collaborative environment here, based on mutual support and community, is what allows us to consistently deliver focused and high-quality service. It is also fun and fascinating to see the long-lasting client relationships that have been fostered here over many years.

My favorite aspect of my new role is the continuous opportunity for growth. Working closely with my colleagues ensures that we are constantly learning new, interesting, and effective ways to serve our clients and enhance their experience. It really fosters an environment where improvement and quality service are always top of mind. I am always looking for ways to expand my professional capabilities to better support our clients. I am currently excited about the prospect of obtaining my Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, which will further deepen my expertise and allow me to contribute more strategically. Outside of the office, I’m planning to explore the hiking and walking trails in Virginia and visit the museums in D.C.

Outside of the office, I enjoy focusing on activities that challenge me and fuel creativity. For instance, I enjoy learning new languages (currently Russian, which I am actively pursuing) and spending time decorating and creating a comfortable home. I also love going to see plays with friends, which helps me stay engaged with the arts and community.

Days of Service

CJMers participated in Operation Backpack and the Holiday Toy Collection Day in support of the Northern Virginia Family Service organization. We really enjoyed volunteering at these events to benefit the children of our community.

2025 CJM End of Year Reflection by David Greene – Keep Putting in the Work

At this time of the year, we always try to take a pause to reflect on the past 12 months and consider what the next few years may have in store for us.   In this writing, we do not necessarily focus on market predictions and economic forecasts but ponder some bigger questions and ideas.   I was struck by a recent quote from Elon Musk in which he suggests that AI and robotics will influence our world such that in less than 20 years “working” will be optional.  Wow…that is a poignant and somewhat jarring thought, especially for those of us who put work ethic at the top of the list of necessary life skills.  I would suggest that “putting in the work” has always been incredibly valuable and will indeed take on more value in the future.

My thoughts drift back to growing up and spending hours, and I mean HOURS, raking up the leaves…cleaning out the gutters…vacuuming the house…changing the oil in the cars, etc.  My parents had worked hard for what they had and were quite adamant that they would instill that same work ethic in their son.  That quality was fairly universal a generation or two ago.  In today’s world, innovation and technology have created much more ease and efficiency in pretty much everything we do in our daily lives.  While beneficial in many ways, it also creates opportunities to cut corners and let the robots and computers do the work.

I want us to remember the stories of the athletes that maybe were not born with all the raw talent in the world but practiced ten times more than the next person to win an Olympic gold medal.  I want us to remember the incredible feeling inspired when you look back to see that you just planted and grew an entire garden, or designed and built a beautiful house or wrote an incredible essay or painted an amazing landscape.  I also want us to remember not just the benefits of physical toil but the lifelong positive impact of hard work within the mental/emotional aspects of life not only for ourselves, but for our loved ones as well.

Hard work should not be optional…it should be foundational.  At CJM, we strive to work diligently on behalf of our clients to help them achieve their goals, and we intend for this to be a core principle for decades to come.

Each time I visit my father’s gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery, I pass by the Seabees Memorial at the entrance.  My Dad was part of the Seabees (Civil Engineering unit in the Navy) and always lived by their mantra: “Can Do!”  Whenever my dad was asked to help out – his answer was always “Can Do!”  I will leave you with an amazing quote on the memorial that I hope may inspire all of us to continue to put in the hard work:  “With willing hearts and skillful hands, the difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a bit longer!”

Outside of the Office

This year CJM employees were thrilled to celebrate some very special occasions outside of work!

Dave’s youngest daughter, Lucia, graduated from middle school.

Parker and his family visited the Statue of Liberty in New York City!

Tracey and her precious grandbabies enjoying some summer fun.

Brian and his wife Amy spent the fall running between college field hockey games for each of their daughters in their first semester of college.

Jess and her family rocking out at the Jonas Brothers concert.