Heather Glydewell

PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and how you contribute to its growth and progress.

Glydewell: As a retirement plan support specialist at Shepherd Financial, I support our advisers and other members of our retirement team, primarily through the creation of resources for their employee education meetings, leading the conversion process for retirement plans as they transition recordkeepers, and improving internal processes and systems to maintain efficiencies as our team continues to grow.

One of the guiding principles in my life is to help others be seen and known. I am thankful for a work environment that allows me an opportunity to be a resource to others, in both practical and personal ways. I strive to do my best work to support them and their work, while also being a consistent presence in their lives who is available to them as an advocate and friend.

PLANADVISER: What have you done that you are most proud of at work? Personally?

Glydewell: The thing that I am most proud of at work was winning the inaugural Spirit of Shepherd award. This award recognizes an employee who consistently embodies our company’s six core values: innovation, growth, service, empathy, integrity, quality. It celebrates those who lead with our values in everyday actions and elevate our company culture. Nominations were received from my peers across our retirement, wealth management, and operations teams. We work hard to support each other, and knowing that my coworkers recognized and appreciated all of my intentional effort was incredibly rewarding. I am very thankful for a company that cares about us as individuals and encourages us to work together for the good of each other, as well as our clients.

In my personal life, I’m most proud of being willing to step out of my comfort zone and take on new challenges as I’ve gotten older. Whether it was taking up rock climbing, completing a list of 300 things to do in my 30s, or changing careers at 40, I’ve learned the importance of pushing myself beyond my natural tendencies and embracing growth.

PLANADVISER: What outside interests or experiences have influenced how you approach your career?

Glydewell: Before making a career change to financial services five years ago, I worked in a local government office where one of the main duties was providing assistance to those in need—monetarily, at our food pantry, or through referrals to other service organizations. These were all ways to support individuals going through crisis moments in their lives so that a lost job, medical bills or family emergency wouldn’t derail their future.

I view how we help companies and individual retirement plan participants in a similar vein. Through our education efforts, we are able to set them up for success in the future. Whether it’s a webinar on student loans, an education presentation on budgeting and debt elimination, or a one-on-one meeting to discuss their financial plan, Shepherd Financial strives to make a difference in the lives of others. The ability to help others prepare for their future, as well as support our team as they do that, is of the utmost importance to me.