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

Most of us know the feeling.

You have a question that matters. You call a company. And instead of a person, a menu of prompts, and the hope that someone on the other end will actually care.

We’ve always believed financial advice should feel more human than that.

At Hill Investment Group, our approach to service has been guided by a few simple principles:

• Be fast – Available and respond promptly
  
• Be friendly — Warm, thoughtful, and welcoming
  
• Take ownership — If it’s important to you, it’s important to us, and we’ll see it through
  

As we’ve evolved, we’ve spent a lot of time asking a simple question: How do we grow without losing what makes the experience personal?

One answer is to lean into our people.

Our team now works coast to coast, and we’re using that to better serve you. Historically, our phones have been answered live from 8:30am to 5:30pm Central Time. Beginning February 16th, we’re expanding live phone coverage so you can reach a real person from 8:00am to 8:00pm Eastern (5:00am to 5:00pm Pacific).

The experience won’t change. No phone trees. No prompts. No outsourcing. Just a knowledgeable member of our team who’s ready to help.

Outside of those hours, our existing voicemail, email, and secure texting options will remain in place.

We don’t view this as a feature or an upgrade. It’s simply part of our responsibility to serve you well. When something is on your mind, you shouldn’t have to wait or wonder if anyone is listening.

Thank you for trusting us with what matters to you. We’re committed to showing up with care, consistency, and a very human voice on the other end of the line.

I’ve been thinking about Christmas a little differently this year.

In some ways, I feel like I’ve already had mine. And I don’t mean the holiday itself. I mean the everyday version. Each day, we get to do work that matters for families we genuinely care about. We help people make better decisions, reduce anxiety, and create order where there was once noise. That’s a gift, and one I don’t take lightly.

This season naturally invites gratitude. Gratitude for trust. For relationships that deepen over time. For the privilege of being invited into important conversations about life, money, and meaning. That sense of gratitude runs through everything you’ll find in this month’s Journal.

It’s also a time of momentum. We’re finishing strong, learning constantly, and quietly building what comes next. I’ll simply say this: the ideas taking shape for 2026 have the potential to be deeply valuable. Not louder. Not flashier. Just more useful, more beneficial, and more aligned with what long-term thinkers actually need. Stay tuned.

As always, thank you for being part of this community. Whether you’re a client, a friend of the firm, or simply curious about how we think, you belong here if you value sound judgment, long-term thinking, and progress over perfection.

I hope you enjoy this month’s Journal, and I wish you clarity and steady momentum in 2026 and beyond.

Take the Long View,