As many of you know, each year at Hill Investment Group we present the Rick Hill Award.
It has quickly become one of the most meaningful traditions inside our firm. Importantly, it is not an award for the loudest voice, the biggest title, or the most visible contributor.
This year, during our team’s 20 year celebration, we had the special privilege of announcing the award with Rick himself in the room. That made the moment even more meaningful for all of us. Rick has always believed the true strength of our firm lives somewhere quieter. In the people who take ownership without being asked. Who care deeply about others. Who show up the same way whether anyone is watching or not.
We are grateful to the clients and teammates who submitted such thoughtful and generous nominations. The letters reflected something we feel every day. Hill is filled with people who take their responsibility to clients seriously. We do not take that lightly.
As we read through the nominations, a clear pattern began to emerge. Different writers. Different perspectives. Yet the same name kept appearing, along with the same themes.
One nominator described this person as “an old soul in a young man’s body.”
Another wrote about someone who stays calm under pressure, steps in to help outside his lane, and does it all without seeking recognition.
We also heard about the way Jack naturally takes interns and new hires under his wing, helping them understand not just what to do, but why it matters. That resonated deeply with us because Jack himself began his Hill journey as an intern.
The story that stayed with us most involved a client phone call.
The client was facing something far bigger than money. Instead of quickly handing the call off, Jack stayed present. He listened carefully. He connected. He shared honestly from his own life and reassured the client that Hill would be fully there in that moment.
As the nominator wrote, it would have been easy to say, “I’m so sorry to hear that… here’s Nell.” But that is not how Jack operates.
That kind of behavior is not found in a job description. It is a choice. And it reflects exactly the spirit Rick modeled when he helped build this firm.
By the time we finished reading the nominations, the choice was unmistakable.
We are proud to share that the 2025 Rick Hill Award recipient is Jack Gardner.
Jack, thank you for how you show up for clients, for teammates, and for Hill. You make the firm better in ways both visible and invisible.
And to our clients, thank you for the trust you place in our team every day. Moments like this remind us that Hill has never been stronger, and people like Jack are a big reason why.
Take the long view,
Matt
