My name is Julie Gibson. If we haven’t met in person, we’ve most certainly spoken on the phone or emailed back and forth. I’m the CEO’s Executive Assistant and also play a big role in the firm's daily operations.

This month, I’m highlighting one of our fantastic Advisors, Kevin Rigg. Kevin is excited for the opportunity to share his story with you, just like so many of you have shared your stories with him. Here's a glimpse of who he is to his family, community, and colleagues.

Priority #1 Family

Kevin and his wife, Annie, have five kids ranging from the ages of 9 to 19. With one in college, two in high school, one in middle school, and the youngest in elementary school, the Rigg family has an ever-changing schedule. Their lives are jam-packed. Needless to say, Kevin’s days are far from "winding down" when he leaves the office. Annie Rigg, with all the skill of an air traffic controller, makes sure that Kevin knows where he needs to land next before heading home. Wisely, Kevin checks in with Annie as well (to see how she’s doing.)

Kevin’s community involvement has followed the rhythms of the family. He served for six years as the treasurer for the Olympia High School Girls Soccer Boosters. During COVID, when very limited numbers were allowed to watch the girl's high school soccer games, he was allowed to "announce" them over Facebook Live so families could follow along. Kevin's also enjoyed supporting other great local organizations, such as the Union Gospel Mission and the Hands On Children’s Museum.

Fun Facts

Kevin grew up swimming every day. He also enjoys cycling and mountain biking. And -- he runs. After speaking with him, I can’t tell how much he actually *enjoys* running… but he does it anyway. In case you were wondering, given these three sports just listed, yes, he *has* done triathlons. He was even once a hardcore bike commuter. Rain or shine, Kevin would bike to work four days a week.

Given his athletic abilities, I asked Annie how competitive Kevin is. She responded “He is more of a seeker of excellence. He looks for ways to be more efficient, to improve -- to complete the task. It does allow for much success, but not necessarily winning. He wants to do things very well.”

As his coworker at SVA, I can also attest to this attitude in his work life.

Professionally

Kevin has been with SVA for 18 years. He is our Director of Financial Life Planning, a CPA, a board-certified Financial Planner, and a Lead Advisor based in our Olympia office.
Kevin is at the office every morning like clockwork. He’s cheerful. He’s dedicated. He’s focused. He’s a leader to our staff, a listener, and a collaborator. See his responses to a few of my questions about his professional life.

(JG = me, Julie Gibson KR=Kevin Rigg)

JG: Creative writing or mathematics?
KR: Definitely mathematics. A logical and linear way of thinking appeals to me, and creative pursuits just don’t come as naturally. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a creature of habit, and it’s pretty hard for me to deviate from the norm.

JG: What did you want to be when you grew up?
KR: Like a lot of tall, semi-athletic kids, I had dreams of playing in the NBA. Thankfully, that dream faded pretty quickly, and I figured I would be an accountant or an engineer of some sort.

JG: Where did you go to college?
KR: Freshman year at a small private college in Longview, Texas, studying engineering. I switched to business (accounting) and stayed close to home at the University of Idaho for the rest of college.

JG: What do you enjoy about financial planning rather than practicing as a CPA?
KR: No more tax season (I’m only slightly kidding as Annie made it pretty clear after the fifth tax season that she wouldn’t mind if it were my last)! What I liked most about practicing as a CPA was the direct client interaction and personal planning, but the work was mostly seasonal and very narrow in focus. Pursuing my CFP® and a career in financial planning was ultimately about doing that kind of work all the time and in a more comprehensive fashion (not just tax planning). I am so glad I made the switch…I love my work and can’t imagine doing anything else.

JG: What's the best professional conference you've ever attended, and what made it good?
KR: It was not a conference in the traditional sense, but the best experience was the “Be Our Guest” event at Minnesota planning firm, Accredited Investors. I attended with our CEO Kevin Slater, and in exchange for a donation to the FPA Foundation for Financial Planning (to support pro bono work), we got to spend a day at the firm talking to the owners and other team leaders about how they run their business and provide comprehensive planning services to their clients. In many ways, Accredited embodied the type of firm we aspired to be, and the time we spent with them that day helped us start to craft a vision for how to consistently deliver those types of services to clients.