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There's something happening here

Eileen Winter, Kimberly Foster, Chris Wayne, Jennifer Lesmeister, and James Schmitz


National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award ~ 5.2022

National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award ~ 5.2022

. . .for public service at the local, state and national level.

President, CEO and Financial Advisor Christopher Wayne, AIFA®, with Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. dba LFA, was awarded the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award for public service at the local, state and national level.

The honor is given to individuals who have inspired others through positive actions reflected by recognized accomplishments and devotion to their professions, avocations, communities, and beliefs.



THANK YOU for GIVING ~ 9.2021

THANK YOU for GIVING ~ 9.2021

". . . the donation couldn't have come at a better time."

Tuesday, Chris Wayne dropped off the huge donation many of you contributed to during Recycle, Shred, Donate, Mr. Twisty autumn cleanup event.  During the drop off, Pathways shared they've been experiencing a significant increase in youth visits.  

Because of your giving, for Pathways to receive many of the most needed items now is quite extraordinary.

Recycle, Shred, Donate, Ice Cream ~ 9.2021

Recycle, Shred, Donate, Ice Cream ~ 9.2021

Should it stay or should it go?  Securely and safely shred all your important and sensitive documents. Suggestions on what to keep, what you can toss – and when, look at How Long to Keep Documents Chart   

Monsters in your garage or closet?  Recycle your old electronics.  Small Appliances.  Televisions. VCRs/DVDs. Stereos.  Video Game Consoles.  Monitors.  Keyboards & Mice.  Printers/Fax/Scanner. Landline phones.  Power supply cords.

After lightening your load, help Pathways 4 Youth with items always in need and bring it to the event.  Look on Pathways 4 Youth  for detailed list.  Thank YOU!

Then, relax and and enjoy the delicious Mr. Twisty ice cream combinations.

***The e-recycle dumpster is not equipped to safely accept - computers, cell phones, laptops, tablets, or any device with hard drive or data storage.

7th Annual Women's Day Delight ~ 11.2020

7th Annual Women's Day Delight ~ 11.2020

. . . There's something happening here 

Kay's Stress and Humor presentation 

Stress and Humor  or  Stress and Humor YouTube 

Motivational Humorist, Kay Frances, has shared her message to “lighten up, stress less and take care of ourselves” in 49 states and Canada for over 30 years. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration and a degree in Health and Education.

Kay is the author of “The Funny Thing about Stress; A Seriously Humorous Guide to a Happier Life.”

When it comes to humor, Kay is the "real deal" having performed as a professional standup comedian for many years and appearing on a number of national television and radio programs including Lifetime Cable’s “Girls Night Out” and NBC’s “America’s Funniest People”. She also lived and performed in New York City where she appeared at the nation’s top comedy clubs such as “The Improvisation” and “Catch a Rising Star.”



. . school lunches over spring break ~ 3.2020

. . school lunches over spring break ~ 3.2020

THANK YOU!!! To ALL those on the front lines - thank you to the amazing women and men in our communities who are healing those affected by COVID19.

#SocialDistancingHaiku (npr)

EVEN WITH DISTANCE,

THE WORLD FEELS PAINFULLY CLOSE.

BUT HOPE TURNS THE PAGE. 

- Colin Dwyer

LIFE KIT

To process this turbulent time, NPR's Life Kit asked folks to share haikus about their experiences with social distancing.  

6th Annual Women's Day Luncheon ~ 11.2019

6th Annual Women's Day Luncheon ~ 11.2019

"Just wanted to let you know that I thought the Women’s Event yesterday was wonderful…right down to the little details. I enjoyed it very much and from what I heard other people saying I think they felt the same."

6th Annual Women's Day Luncheon at Rolling Ridge Wedding & Event Center featured Gaye Lindfors -Speaker, Author, Blogger.  . . . a unique combination of elegance and rustic charm venue exceeded our expectations.  Then with a burst of humor and electric energy Gaye made us laugh and you could feel the camaraderie.

Gaye is the author of several books, including God, Girlfriends & Chocolate and This is Livin’! Learning to Move from Messy Moments to Happy Places.

Gaye approaches life as a front row observer of celebrations, messy places, and you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me! moments. She is a city girl with a Midwestern small-town heart, a corporate and non-profit leader, an author, caregiver, and self-proclaimed Chief Encourager.



Chris receives AIFA® ~ 10.2019

Chris receives AIFA® ~ 10.2019

Chris’s designation recognizes advisors that have a fundamental understanding of the principals of fiduciary duty, the standards of conduct and process for carrying out said duty. Through a rigorous training program, financial intermediaries demonstrate the ability to perform fiduciary assessments on internal policies, procedures, and workflows to verify or certify an entity’s conformity to a global standard of excellence.

Chris balances his interest in investment analytics with helping clients improve their financial lives through planning and education.

With over 15 years of experience in the financial industry, he exemplifies the vision and goals of Laraway Financial. “Chris is a key part of our success,” says Steve Laraway, president/CEO. “He is true to the company’s stewardship and financial values and objectives.”

St. Cloud GREATER

St. Cloud GREATER


Photo Contest

Photo Contest


~ 09.2019

~ 09.2019


Advisory Team Grows ~ 04.2019

Advisory Team Grows ~ 04.2019

Jennifer Lesmeister, a University of Minnesota graduate who has been with Laraway for over one year, has completed her Series 7 & 66 to be a licensed and registered financial advisor.  Lesmeister majored in Spanish and Latin American Studies at University of Minnesota –Morris. Lesmeister’s career has leveraged her skills in interpretation, writing and research and interests in estate and financial planning. When she was 16, Lesmeister began taking college level courses, and her advanced language skills in Spanish led her to a career as a bilingual legal assistant in Minneapolis. Continuing to expand her background and expertise, she went on to work at Gray Plant Mooty in the St. Cloud area.  Lesmeister has 8 years of experience in estate planning as a paralegal which compliments her passion for financial planning.

By working to achieve her clients’ goals, she broadens Laraway’s resources and helps make their team approach to retirement and estate planning stronger. 

5th Annual Women’s Day Luncheon ~ 11.2018

5th Annual Women’s Day Luncheon ~ 11.2018

5th Annual Women’s Day Luncheon featured keynote speaker Ian Leonard “Passion, Purpose, and Detours.” Ian Leonard sums up his life in one simple sentence:  I love my life, I love my wife, I love my dog... I kinda like the cats. To know Ian is to know his passion for people and his work in the community. Ian works tirelessly for Special Olympics Minnesota (including recently taking his 191st Polar Plunge) and The Alzheimer’s Association of ND-MN having raised over 30 million dollars for the two organizations in the past ten years.

To the delight of many, Ian mingled, helped serve lunch to the women and inspired us.

Kimberly Foster, Chris Wayne, Jennifer Lesmeister, Steve Laraway, Bill Bateman, Eileen Winter, James Schmitz.


Bill's backyard ~ 09.2018

This past June we gathered in Bill Bateman’s backyard for a team photo to celebrate Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. 18 years in business. The only thing missing from this photo is Brandy – Bill’s golden Labrador Retriever.

Our Process
Our History
Our Values

St. Cloud GREATER Photo Contest ~ 09.2018

Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. again sponsored the St. Cloud Photo/Video Contest which provided us use of the photos to enhance our website.  You may recognize a few of these places.

Dale has left the building - 06.2018

Dale has left the building - 06.2018

re·tire·ment 1. the action or fact of leaving one’s job and ceasing to work. Dale Miller, Client Relations Administrator retired from the firm June 1, 2018. Dale managed many of the behind-the-scenes functions at the firm. Dale quietly passed the torch on to Jennifer Lesmeister, Client Relations Coordinator. A couple things you may not know about Dale: Dale is the human Google but faster; he could recall artists and songs from most any music genre, in a blink of an eye; pull up facts of past and current U.S. presidents; and take us a step back in time with his knowledge of U.S. history. One thing we know for sure is Dale has left the building.

District Award of Merit ~ 06.2018

District Award of Merit ~ 06.2018

Chris Wayne receives District Award of Merit. Laraway Financial Advisors Vice President and Partner Chris Wayne honored with Boy Scouts of America Central Minnesota Council District Award of Merit. This award recognizes professional Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at a district level.

Chris has been a lifelong active member of Boy Scouts of American since growing up in River Falls, Wisconsin and through his volunteerism seeks to “lead by example.” 

ChFC® designation earned ~ 04.2018

ChFC® designation earned ~ 04.2018

Kimberly Foster, Financial Advisor and Chief Compliance Officer of Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. recently earned the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designation from the American College of Financial Services.

New team member ~ 04.2018

New team member ~ 04.2018

Jennifer Lesmeister joins Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. as client relations coordinator. Her role includes helping to monitor securities, to provide advisors data for their clients, compiling reports and analyzing data, while managing administrative duties.

For the last four years, Lesmeister has worked for Gray Plant Mooty in the St. Cloud area. Lesmeister’s career has leveraged her skills in interpretation, writing and research and interests in estate and financial planning.

Spring into GIVING ~ 04.2018

Spring into Philanthropy Excerpt . . . Central Minnesota Community Foundation Board Chair, Steve Laraway, recently established a corporate advised fund for his company, Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. and he is pleased with how it is working for his team. Our corporate advised fund allows us to centralize our charitable giving and we can make contributions to the fund whenever we want. We formed an internal charitable committee to make granting decisions which has been great for our team.

Interested in learning more about corporate advised funds and the philanthropic impact your business can make? Contact your local community foundation staff today or email info@communitygiving.org.

The Sheridan Story ~ 11.2017

The Sheridan Story ~ 11.2017

Chris Wayne and James Schmitz (pictured) gave back to our community at The Sheridan Story. The Sheridan Story works to combat hunger in our community by providing food for students to take home each weekend of the school year. Their job was to pack the food for the students to take home.

For more information on the Sheridan Story click here

4th Annual Women's Day Luncheon ~ 11.2017

4th Annual Women’s Day Luncheon featuring keynote speaker Joe Schmit “Silent Impact”. Joe Schmit (pictured above) is an author, award-winning sports broadcaster with KSTP-TV, community leader, and popular keynote speaker. “We make our biggest impressions when we are not trying to be impressive.” Joe spoke at our luncheon to the delight of many.

Our Process
Our History
Our Values

St. Cloud GREATER Photo Contest ~ 09.2017

Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. sponsored the 2017 St. Cloud Photo/Video Contest which provided the firm use of the photos to enhance our website.  You may have visited a few of these places.

Our History
Our Process

Socks for the Soul ~ 12.2016

For the last 18 years, Arvis Stubbs, has donated, and taken in donations of hats, socks, and gloves, giving them as gifts to homeless people around St. Cloud. Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. team joyfully joined in her effort.

Chris awarded AIF® ~ 12.2016

Chris awarded AIF® ~ 12.2016

Chris Wayne, Laraway Financial Advisors Vice President and Partner has been awarded the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies™ (the Center), the standards-setting body for fi360. The AIF designation signifies specialized knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and the ability to implement policies and procedures that meet a defined standard of care. The designation is the culmination of a rigorous training program, which includes a comprehensive, closed-book final examination under the supervision of a proctor, and agreement to abide by the Code of Ethics and Conduct Standards. On an ongoing basis, completion of continuing education and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Conduct Standards are required to maintain the AIF designation.

James Schmitz, Andrew Walesch, Holly Hoffman, Steve Laraway, Kimberly Foster, Eileen Winter and Chris Wayne

3rd Annual Women's Day Luncheon ~ 11.2016

3rd Annual Women’s Day Luncheon featuring keynote speaker Holly Hoffman “Never Give Up – The Survivor Way”. Born and raised in Eureka, South Dakota, Holly Hoffman was the last remaining member of the Espada Tribe and the last woman standing on Season 21 of CBS’ hit reality show Survivor Nicaragua. Singer and pianist Andrew Walesch entertained during the meal.