Charlie, Josie Otto Return to Alliance to Join Family Firm
Returning to Alliance following their stints at college, Charlie and Josie Otto are excited to join their father, Rich Otto, in his practice, serving clients at Edward Jones as part of the Otto Wealth Management Team.
Rich, who started by following in his father’s footsteps at Edward Jones, is grateful for the opportunity to have Charlie and Josie return to their hometown. He explained his beginnings in the practice are rooted in family and the community, and a passion for helping others.
“My father was with Edward Jones for 28 years in Kearney,” Rich said. “I have two brothers with a firm in Kearney as well. I have a brother-in-law in Omaha with Edward Jones. Growing up with Edward Jones, I always saw dad at our sporting events and always a part of the community, always giving back, so it’s something that attracted me to Edward Jones as well. I started with a firm in 1992. I did an internship with Edward Jones, then I had the opportunity to move to Alliance.
“I always wanted to raise my family in a small town,” Rich said. “That’s what attracted me to Alliance, but in terms of having been here for over 30 years, I’m only 55, I have no intentions of retiring. My dream when I built this building was always to have, hopefully, someone in the office with me—my dream was to have one of my kids—but I’ve been blessed to have two in part of our practice here, so I’m excited for the next chapter in our lives.”
Charlie, who graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln recently, chose to return to Alliance so that he can grow strong roots in the community.
“I enjoyed what I learned there (at UNL), but I kind of never really felt, necessarily as at home as I did being in Alliance,” Charlie said. “I like the community aspect and the kindness people show you in a smaller town. I think that’s something, Lincoln had those aspects, but not quite as well as Alliance had it. I kind of missed that and having that sense of belonging and sense of purpose in Alliance. I’d like to make a bigger impact in the community, not only with Edward Jones, but through church, and eventually, maybe schools and things of that nature. Right now I’m just getting my feet wet and getting settled back in.”
Josie, before graduating from college, helped her father with on-call work at his practice in 2019. She said she chose to return to Alliance to be near her family and to start her own family here.
“I grew up here, my fiancé is from here,” Josie said. “Being near family really pulled me back. I’m getting married next summer, and part of my goal is to hopefully have a family some day. I think that’s the nice thing about doing this group effort: when we can all service all clients, if I need to take a minute because my child is sick, they can still help the people who will need it. Some of my other goals are to start getting more involved in the community. It’s just finding those right things that I’m passionate about.”
Josie was inspired to join Edward Jones because of the impact she saw her father had on people in the community.
“I had grown up seeing all of these people who were impacted so greatly by my dad,” Josie said. “You’d be in the grocery store, and it would be like, ‘Tell your dad thank you,’ or ‘Tell him hello, Merry Christmas,’ things like that. It was just something when I decided to go the finance route, I was like I know I want to be at Edward Jones because he’s not only making an impact in the clients’ lives, but the way Edward Jones works as a whole, just the culture, it’s so nice. It’s not competitive between advisors. It’s always build each other up. I can call any advisor and they’ll give me advice.”
Being in practice as a family is a new experience to navigate, Rich explained, though he is hopeful for the future and the resources they can work together to offer clients.
“We’re kind of finding our way,” Rich said. “We all have our own skillsets, and more importantly, we’re bringing those together to help our clients. Instead of each of us working individually with somebody, we’re going to work collectively as a team. So, you get three heads for the price of one. Just to be able to have that camaraderie together, and just to be able to bounce ideas off each other, and share thoughts for what’s best for our clients. It’s a group effort, and I enjoy that. Our firm has been in a pilot in this type of teaming program. We’re excited to be able to be a part of this extension of the pilot, and grateful to Edward Jones to not only be able to have my kids be with us, but, more importantly, to be able to work collectively for our clients and what’s best for them.”
Charlie emphasized he is not working for his dad; he is working with his dad, which offers many exciting opportunities to learn from his experience.
“We’re a team, and we’re all working together to help our clients,” Charlie said.
Josie is thrilled for the opportunity to work together with her family and to draw on each other’s strengths.
“Sometimes a client’s situation, I might not have come across, but Rich being in the business the last 30 years, I can come to him and be like, ‘Hey, this is the situation, can you help me out?’ and try to find the best solution for the client and what’s best for them,” Josie said.
Josie and Charlie have already learned many lessons from the practice, and hope to learn many more as they continue down this path.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s okay to take a minute if you need to find the right answers,” Josie said. “People are more appreciative to know that you’re going to do what’s best for them, not necessarily that you’re going to do it right this minute. It’s okay to be learning.”
“I would say doing what’s right for people, even if it’s not benefitting to you,” Charlie said. “I think what you put out into the world comes back to you.”
Rich emphasized that, as a firm, Edward Jones is a privately-held partnership, with the focus being on the client first.
“When we make investments in people, it’s an investment, whereas some companies look at investment in people as an expense,” Rich said. “So, when things get lean, they cut the expense, but we’re making an investment in the people, to help the community, to help our individual clients and make sure their goals are met. That’s what drew me to Edward Jones was the focus on the client. I enjoy helping people, and that gives me purpose. Our mission statement is, ‘Partnering together, our family helping your family.’ It gives me great joy to wake up every day and help people to achieve their goals.”