At the Firm

The CCMI team enjoyed a Spanish tapas lunch out of the office to celebrate the third quarter birthdays: Brian, Monica, Jessica, and Abby.

Brian attended a business owner retreat. He meets with a group of seven others as part of Entrepreneur’s Organization on a monthly basis to learn from one another and improve their businesses. They go on a retreat annually and this year’s event was focused on establishing long-term goals to achieve business success.  

Matt attended his first meeting as a new member of Rady Children’s Hospital Estates & Trusts Council Advisory Board. It was great getting to know the other members of the group and touring Rady’s new autism-adapted emergency rooms for children with autism spectrum symptoms.

CCMI advisors are required to complete ongoing continuing education, including coursework focused on ethics and professional responsibility. As part of that commitment, Kim, Matt, Brian, and Alana recently completed an IAR Ethics continuing education program. Continuing education is one of the ways we stay current, hold ourselves accountable, and continue improving the advice and experience we provide to our clients. This session also provided an efficient opportunity to complete a significant portion of our annual requirements in one day.

Alana attended a conference in Newport Beach. The event focused on identifying and implementing holistic solutions for high-net-worth households, with a strong focus on strategic asset allocation and tax-efficient investment strategies. 

On the Home Front

Brian, his wife Nikki, his sons Kai (17) and Koa (14) traveled south of Ensenada, Mexico for the Labor Day weekend to build a house through Baja Bound. The Matter family left early Saturday morning and spent long days framing, roofing, drywalling, and painting the house, with a team of about 30 participating in the build. The family that received the house lived on the property in a small shack with dirt floors and participated in the build. They were grateful to have a new home with a concrete floor, solid roof, insulation, and a door that locks. The Matters returned home exhausted from a long weekend of building but were grateful to participate and have the experience to change the life of another family.  

Matt and his family took a last-minute trip to Mammoth Lakes in early September for their final week of summer. Matt worked remotely for two half days and took an additional full day off to enjoy some hiking, cooler weather, and even jumping in their favorite lake. The lake ended up being colder than expected so Matt and Alex didn’t stay in as long as they’d like; 47 degrees was more than enough of a cold plunge for them. It was very refreshing and is a tradition anytime they go to Heart Lake. Matt’s kids are adjusting to their new school routines: Lizzie is back to her full ballet activities and is already preparing for the holiday shows, while Jacob has started a new martial arts class.

After returning from her summer travels, Kim has been spending more time road biking and is putting her passion for cycling toward a meaningful purpose. This year, she’ll be participating in the MS Bike Ride, taking on 100 miles over one weekend to help raise awareness and support for those impacted by multiple sclerosis. Kim will be riding as part of “Howard’s Team” and is looking forward to both the challenge and the opportunity to support an important cause.

Tina and her husband Dave enjoyed a sailing adventure with 40 members of SDYC Cruising Fleet to Newport, RI; Block Island; Cuttyhunk; and Martha’s Vineyard. They stopped in NYC on the way home to see “Hamilton” and a Yankees game. On the way to the East Coast, they stopped in Ohio to visit Tina’s family and enjoyed a road trip to Mackinac Island. 

Monica and her husband Mike spent two weeks in Wisconsin this month. They spent time with Mike’s family and friends and visited favorite spots in his hometown of Appleton. No visit to Wisconsin would be complete without stopping by Lambeau Field in Green Bay. They went looking for fall color in Door County and even ventured into Northern Michigan. Monica’s mom also joined them for a week since she had never been to America’s Dairyland. Mike did a great job as tour guide, and everyone had a fun and relaxing time.

Abby had an enjoyable end of summer, constantly gathering with family and friends for always-busy weekends, really loving every chance she gets to spend with them. It was a hot summer, so she and her dog Nai are really looking forward to fall and hopefully milder temperatures.

The Hurley family has been making the most of San Diego’s hot and humid summer, cooling off with swims in the ocean, squeezing in family walks during the cooler early mornings and late afternoons, and putting the grill to good use. Jessica and her husband Mike have also been busy working through the final details of their home renovation. Thankfully, they’ve made it to the halfway point and can finally start seeing everything come together!

This month, Katie Williford’s family spent time with their cousins from Portland. They went all over San Diego, with visits including Sesame Place, the zoo, and the beach. (Photo is Mackenzie, age 2.5, immediately after adamantly telling us she wasn’t tired.) Later in the month, the Willifords went to the season opener of Aztec football and the girls had a great time. At the end of the month, they celebrated Ansley’s 5th birthday with friends and a bounce house!

Kyle Kline’s family has been getting back into the school routine, with Brooks starting first grade and Hallie starting TK at a new school. Poor Mazie has spent a lot of time in the car driving to drop-offs and pickups but she is getting used to it. Brooks and Hallie started playing in a soccer league for the fall season. They have been loving it so far! Kyle and his wife Rebecca are so proud of them for their progress at school, being good teammates in soccer, and loving Mazie. Outside of school and soccer, they spent a lot of time swimming and hanging with friends and family this month.

It has been a great month for the Oryangs. They had family visit for two weeks and got to spend valuable time with them. It was nice having them around and the kids always want to be near grandma. Their youngest is also figuring out walking, so they spent time babyproofing and preparing to chase her down once she realizes she’s fast.

September was fun for Graciela and her family. Mom and Dad enjoyed a kid-free long weekend in Las Vegas with a show, great food, football, pool time, shopping, and some much needed alone time together. The girls are doing great at school and they’re excited to see their growth this year. Penelope had an extra special National Gymnastics Day, celebrating a huge milestone by getting her giant on the strapped bar! It was such an exciting accomplishment and so rewarding to watch her hard work pay off. Cami is taking a few weeks away from dance and gymnastics after spraining her ankle and is currently in a walking boot. The show must go on, though, as she gets ready to perform in early October.

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