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

Clients and those that know us well expect clarity and transparency in all that we do, especially when it comes to fees. In fact, HIG goes overboard to fully communicate all fees and expenses because every last basis point matters.

In contrast, most of Wall Street uses every means possible…including regulations…to disclose as little as possible, especially when it comes to fees.

Jason Zweig of the Wall Street Journal makes a crystal clear statement in a recent article:

“The first question on most investors’ minds is usually: How much can I make on this? Instead, their first question should always be: How much will this cost me?”

We wholeheartedly concur.
Be on the lookout for and learn about the latest pending legislation that would hide fees from investors here.

If you’re interested in more clarity and transparency in your life, set up a time to talk here.

If you want a resolution that will actually help your investing life in 2026, start here: clean up your media diet.

Not because we’re suggesting you avoid reality or pretend the world is calm. We mean something more practical: be ruthless about who gets access to your attention and what they’re trying to do with it.

Most financial media isn’t designed to help you invest well. It’s designed to keep you watching. So…

Everything is urgent.
Everything is breaking.
Everything is either a bubble or a collapse.
And the “right move” is always: stay tuned.

Your long view plan runs on a different fuel. It’s built on evidence, diversification, and the actual life you’re trying to fund. It’s built on what lasts, not what trends.

The best long view investors are not the ones consuming the most content. They are the ones protecting their attention, staying consistent, and making changes only when the facts change.

A simple filter for 2026:

Before you read or watch anything money-related, ask:
“How is the author trying to make me feel?”
If the answer is “anxious,” close the tab. Move on.

Attention is a financial asset. Treat it like one.