Wealthcare Group launches in East Alton, gets wealth of help along the way

This month, Tara and Jacob Lowry and partners Karen McGarvey and David Wiegand formally dedicated their business, The Wealthcare Group, offering services in navigating through insurance benefits and financial planning for the River Bend area.

The Wealthcare Group held a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 1 at 2 Terminal Dr. in East Alton. The office can be contacted at (618) 259-8920.

The Wealthcare Group reached out to the Illinois Metro East Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for guidance in the middle of 2017. It received one-on-one counseling with Director and Business Specialist Jo Ann DiMaggio May.

Tara Lowry said she is extremely appreciative for the SBDC’s help.

“Jo Ann has given us a tremendous amount of feedback. She’s reviewed all of our concerns and strategies, which will help us be more successful,” Lowry said.

DiMaggio May also discussed a variety of areas to assist the partners. These areas ranged from strategizing their goals, networking, marketing, offering advice on how to leverage under one name to Tara’s attendance at SBDC training and resource seminars.

Tara Lowry was involved in the SBDC and Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac Growth Venture eight-week seminar series from January-March. The series assisted businesses in developing a growth plan, as well as the creation of a framework to better utilize decision-making and improve business performance.

“Tara and Jacob are dedicated to exceptional client service, as well as educating their clients in the process,” said DiMaggio May. “With their care and motivation, I am confident they will be successful, and I look forward to supporting them further.”

The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists start-up ventures like The Wealthcare Group as well as existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and SIUE as a service to Illinois small businesses..

To learn about the SBDC, contact the IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE at (618) 650-2929.

PHOTO: From left, David Wiegand, Karen McGarvey, Tara Lowry and Jacob Lowry.