John Reagan dedicates his professional life to client service. It’s that simple. He is reliable with a capital “R” and is the backbone of Hill Investment Group. John is a partner in the firm, leads client service, the Financial Planning Committee, and our Longview Charitable Initiative. John is someone you want on your side. He works every day to help simplify and add significant value to the lives of the families we serve.
A graduate of Trinity University, where he studied finance, accounting, and economics, John arrived at Hill Investment Group with four years of experience at one of the country’s largest financial services firms.
After completing one year in his former firm’s respected management development program, he became a financial advisor. He excels at crafting strategic financial plans for both individuals and families and developing and sustaining client relationships.
Friends describe me as
An older man stuck in a younger man’s body. I am up most mornings before the sun and read a hard copy of the newspaper. I can’t stand being late, and I enjoy listening to Frank Sinatra.
First job
I was a baseball umpire when I was 14. It taught me how to deal with conflict at an early age.
Family matters
My wife Molly and I have been married since 2011. We have three little boys: James, Thomas, and Charlie and we recently added Catherine to the mix (she already has her Daddy wrapped around her finger). We are an active family that loves spending time outdoors either playing sports or exploring nature. One of our favorite activities is riding bikes to a local coffee shop on Saturday morning for breakfast.
Daily reads
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Wall Street Journal, and NBCSports.com.
Inspired by
My dad. At The Muny—St. Louis’ famous outdoor theater—his first job was picking up trash. He eventually worked his way to his current role of President of The Muny. His work ethic, passion, and humility inspire me.
Challenge overcome
During my junior year of high school, I broke my right hand two weeks before competing in the state racquetball tournament. Being right-handed, this was going to be an issue. For the next two weeks, I spent every evening after school, teaching myself to play left-handed. I ended up finishing third at my seed at the state tournament that year.
Approach to client services
My experience has taught me that truly listening is the key to service. Not only listening to hear the explicit question, but also for what we call “the question behind the question.” We are really curious about the thought or feeling that prompted the original question. We all desire to be understood, and I’ve found that listening is the best way to give someone else real understanding. Everyone at Hill has this same approach. We really care, which is what makes genuine listening possible.
How I stay busy
I stay busy by staying active, both physically and mentally. I love being outdoors and try to spend any “free” time I have with my kids. I do some physical exercise at least 4 days/week and stay sharp mentally by reading and listening to thought leaders, both at the forefront of our industry and others. I’m also completing the Executive MBA program at Washington University in St. Louis.
Engagement story
Molly was a kindergarten teacher after graduating from college. One Friday afternoon, I surprised her and her class by having Fredbird — the popular St. Louis Cardinals mascot — drop into her classroom unannounced. Then I strolled in and proposed in front of the class.
Sporting life
Sports have always been a big part of my life. Growing up, it was soccer, baseball, and basketball—and later lacrosse and racquetball. While I recently hung up my cleats, some of my favorite moments are watching my kids compete in sports. The team approach of athletics is something I feel strongly about at Hill as well. It is certainly something that drew me to the firm.
Early money management
In college, I was selected, with others, to manage $1 million of the university’s endowment. This taught me an early lesson about the level of responsibility entrusted when being a good steward of someone else’s money.
Key ingredient in client relationships
Trust. Our clients trust that we are working as their advocate. We work hard to gain that trust. One way we do that is through being reliable. Our clients know that if we tell them we will take care of something, they can take it off of their “to-do” list.
My favorite quotes
“Nice guys finish first.” –Unknown
If you continue to do the right things, people will notice, and you will ultimately end up more successful than if you tried to take a shortcut or cheat your way to victory.
“A real man loves his wife, and places his family as the most important thing in life.” –Frank Abagnale
Having a lot of money or a lot of power doesn’t make you a real man. Being a loving husband and always there for your children is what makes you a real man.