Podcast: Speaking of Quality
Season 6 Episode 2 Title: State of the Union with Joe McLaughlin

Episode Transcript:

Maxine Cuffe 00:03 

You’re listening to “Speaking of Quality” with Hank Smith, a podcast by The Haverford Trust Company. On “Speaking of Quality,” Hank features authors, business leaders and wealth management experts who share stories from their careers and insights on topics that impact financial wellness. And now, here’s your host, Hank Smith. 

Hank Smith 00:24 

Hello, and welcome to another episode of “Speaking of Quality.” I’m your host, Hank Smith, Director and Head of Investment Strategy at The Haverford Trust Company. On this podcast, we explore topics ranging from leadership, economics, capital markets, civic engagement and community building. Today, we have a shorter episode coming your way, a brief message from Haverford Trust’s Chairman and CEO, Joe McLaughlin. In his message, Joe reflects on the successes of 2025 and provides a look ahead at what’s to come at Haverford in 2026. Like we talked about during our Annual Economic and Market Outlook, we’re looking forward to the year ahead. To all of our clients at Haverford, thank you for listening and for your continued partnership and loyalty. To the rest of our listeners, we’d love to connect and discuss how we can help you reach your financial goals. Now, without further ado, here’s Joe McLaughlin. 

Joe McLaughlin 01:25 

Hello. I’m Joe McLaughlin, Chairman and CEO of Haverford Trust. We begin 2026 with a deep sense of gratitude, accomplishment and optimism. This past year, Haverford welcomed nearly 150 new client relationships, recognized more than 9% growth in assets under management, and strengthened existing client relationships with our unwavering focus on quality and service. In the spirit of continuous improvement and with an eye to the future, last year we conducted a broad client survey. The results affirmed our role as a trusted advisor for the individuals, families and institutions that chose Haverford. We earned an average satisfaction score of 94%, which is reflected in the high number of referrals and introductions we receive each year and in our client retention rate of 97%. In their responses and comments, clients commended our personal approach to wealth management, along with our deep investment expertise, while encouraging us to accelerate enhancements in digital capabilities. These insights are invaluable, and they shape our priorities for the year ahead. We began 2026 by building upon the successful 2025 technology platform conversion of our trading, billing and reporting system. This transformative project enhanced both operational efficiency and client experience. With this investment, we’ll now focus on providing additional proactive account communications while integrating new technology, such as AI, into workflows. Equally as important as client feedback is the safety and soundness of our business. Haverford operates in a strictly regulated industry, which ensures we hold ourselves to the high standards of both our industry and our clients. And as technology evolves, we’re continually monitoring information security risks and utilizing systems designed to detect and mitigate cybersecurity threats. We take a multi-layered approach to securing our digital assets and our non-public information. Looking forward, 2026 will be defined by strategic initiatives reflecting our commitment to innovation without compromise, advancing wealth planning solutions for individuals and families along with advisory services for our nonprofit clients, deepening engagement with a rising generation of investors, and leveraging technology to deliver a digital experience that equals our focus on quality. Every improvement is aimed at strengthening the relationships we have with our clients and enhancing your experience with Haverford. Our commitment to transparency, trust and delivering five-star service in every interaction remains unchanged. One of the ways that we do this is through our thought leadership, and I hope you’ll follow up this video by watching, reading or listening to our 2026 Economic Outlook. The research and investment leaders of Haverford Trust have put this material together to keep you informed and to ensure that you’re able to feel knowledgeable about your investments. Thank you for your confidence and partnership. Together, we will continue to build on our shared success for enduring growth. 

Hank Smith 05:17 

Thanks, Joe, for that message. Thank you for listening to this episode of “Speaking of Quality.” Our next episode will be released shortly. In the meantime, please send suggestions or questions for me or the Haverford Trust team to podcast@haverfordquality.com. And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share this podcast. Until next time, I’m Hank Smith. Stay bullish. 

Maxine Cuffe 05:45 

Thank you for listening to this episode of “Speaking of Quality” with Hank Smith. To hear future episodes of “Speaking of Quality,” please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. To learn more about The Haverford Trust Company, please visit https://haverfordquality.com/. This podcast is provided as general commentary and market overview, and should not be relied upon as research, a forecast or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt an investment strategy. Any opinions expressed are as of the date this podcast was recorded and may change at any time and are the opinions of that commentator, not Haverford. Any opinion or information provided are believed by Haverford to be reliable at the time of this podcast’s recording, but are not necessarily all-inclusive or guaranteed for accuracy. Before making any financial decisions, please consult with an investment professional.