What Jay Close has to say about fellow Co-Founder Jim Niedzinski...
What He Does
Jim Niedzinski, CFP®, AIF®, leads the research and application of financial planning strategies for our clients. He cherishes the relationships he builds with clients as he helps them pursue their dreams and accomplish their goals.
Who He Is
It makes sense that Jim was a varsity letter winner on the University of Michigan track team as I watch him run tirelessly (and joyfully) to serve clients. In fact, I’ve never witnessed a more deeply-rooted commitment to the well-being of clients than I see in Jim. He’s famous for being extremely organized – a details-wizard – yet he maintains a clear perspective on the big picture and what strategically matters most. Jim might be best known for his uncanny ability to communicate the complex with clarity and make the intricate easy to understand. Jim isn’t just organized, strategic, and gifted in communication, his true superpower is that he genuinely cares right down to his core. Spend time with Jim and you’ll know he’s the real deal.
Jim’s Qualifications
For more than 20 years, Jim has been advising clients with complex financial situations such as those involving privately held businesses (often further complicated by shared family ownership); the knottiest of executive compensation packages; and the challenges of large tax liabilities. In addition to his breadth of technical knowledge, Jim also draws upon his two decades of experience to serve clients as their strategic advisor, helping them clarify their vision and make decisions that align with their deepest values. Before Motive, Jim served as a senior Wealth Advisor to over 100 families at a fiduciary wealth management firm. He was a member of their financial planning committee where he helped develop planning strategies for the firm’s clients. He also had served as chair of their investment committee where he was primarily responsible for the development of the firm’s investment strategy. Jim is graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) credential.
Jim’s Personal Life
Jim is gaga for Shannon, his wife of more than 20 years. I don’t think they’ve missed their weekly date in over a decade. They have two teenage children, a son and a daughter, they adore (both of whom seem to be the spitting image of Jim and Shannon, if you ask me). If you get to know the Niedzinskis, you’ll find that their faith is important to them and they are active in their church community. Jim reads constantly (maybe too much? I’m told he even reads while brushing his teeth). He loves the outdoors and conditioning through CrossFit, mountain biking, hiking, snow skiing, and rock climbing. While Jim enjoys his active lifestyle, I happen to know he also likes that it affords him the regular guilty pleasure of apple fritters from Donut Cutter in Royal Oak.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.