Beyond the Fine Print

Have you always been a financial planner?
No, I actually started out working in the marketing division of Pabst Brewery and later for Mobil Oil Corporation.

So how did you become interested in financial planning?
I just never found those jobs to be challenging enough. I really wanted to do something that allowed me to think outside the box a little more. My father-in-law actually introduced me to the world of investments and financial planning, and I was hooked immediately.

Did you launch out on your own?
I started with research, which is where I like to start anything. I looked into nearly 200 companies, interviewing individuals in the financial planning business. Eventually, I chose CIGNA Individual Financial Services, where I ended up developing several specialized systems for financial planning.

What made you decide to leave CIGNA?
Again, I really love to think outside the box, and after time it became clear that working on my own offered the best opportunity to do just that. I partnered with Jerry Hemenway to create Suncoast Advisory Group. We’ve been innovating on behalf of our clients for 25 years now, and our clients’ success speaks for itself.

Why did you decide to focus on family businesses, and medical and dental practices?
I’m a problem solver, and I really enjoy helping my clients move from point A to point B. Family businesses are often very creative and eclectic, but they sometimes need help with the strategic planning necessary to meet their goals. Likewise, I find that for medical and dental practices, I can often provide them with the business strategies that allow them to put more focus on their patients.

Kyra Johnson - Client Realtionship Coordinator Privacy Policy and Code of Ethics

The Fine Print

Rick O. Helbing CFP, ChFC
Graduate of the University
of Wisconsin Whitewater,
Bachelors of Science
in Political Science

CIGNA Financial Advisors 1984 to 1988
Suncoast Advisory Group 1988 to Present

Licenses
Securities (Florida)
Life and Health Insurance (Florida)

Designations
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)

Member in Good Standing
Financial Planning Assoc. Sarasota / Manatee
Society of Financial Services Professionals
Medical Group Management Association

Named one of the top 150 advisors in the country for physicians by Medical Economics magazine in 2009.