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President of Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society ~ John Vreeburg

By on November 13, 2012
John-Vreeburg

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping…Aaahh it’s a wonderful life in beautiful Rancho Santa Fe. We sat down with John Vreeburg, who is not only a wealth manager with Crowell, Weedon & Co. but who also leads the way as President of the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society.

RSF Magazine: Tell us how you got started in your industry?

John Vreeburg: Well, I studied economics in college with a focus in business. So I always had an interest in the financial world. I decided early on I wanted to be a wealth manager, and with my education it was a great fit.

RSF Magazine: What do you do?

John Vreeburg: I provide individual investors with comprehensive wealth management tax aware strategies and I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. What I do is look at the financial picture of an individual to put plans in place to deal with any life changes or unforeseen circumstances, for example, relocations, retirement, divorce, etc. I proactively look forward to position my client to be prepared to address their future financial goals and objectives.

RSF Magazine: What company are you with?

John Vreeburg: I work with a fantastic independent investment partnership that was founded in 1932 called Crowell, Weedon & Co. It’s a great client centric work environment where the atmosphere is very much like a family. A grandson of the one of the founders of the firm is the managing partner. So the core values of the business still hold firm, allowing me to work in a non-corporate environment yet still be able to offer top-notch personal service in a professional organization.

RSF Magazine: What is involved in the day-to-day operations of your business and responsibilities?

John Vreeburg: My office is located in University Town Center in La Jolla, California. It’s great. I love what I do. And I’m glad to be able to help my clients work toward achieving their goals, that’s the most important aspect. But I’m also the President of the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society, so I dedicate time and effort to that organization. The Society is located at 6036 La Flecha and is open and available for viewing and tours for those who are interested in seeing where Rancho Santa Fe really began. It’s quite a beautiful story of transformation that today has grown to be known as one of the most beautiful places to live. We preserve that history and honor that process, by maintaining and archiving valuable photographs, keepsakes from a collection of documents and artifacts, as well as articles donated by E.L. Bus Reitz and Margarita Reitz, in addition to La Flecha House itself, home to the Society since 1988.

We also host events by offering speakers to the community, discussing topics such as the history of San Diego, the history of Water in San Diego, The Navy in SD and more. One of my favorites is the Annual Home Tour, which provides public access to 4-5 homes that have real historical significance in the community such as La Flecha House, the 1st residence in Rancho Santa Fe designed by the famed architect Lillian Rice.

Rancho-Santa-Fe-Historical-Society

Rancho-Santa-Fe-Historical-Society

RSF Magazine: What do you love about Rancho Santa Fe?

John Vreeburg: I love the feel of the Ranch, it’s so quaint and close. The people are great and there are some dedicated individuals who get involved in the various community organizations. It retains and maintains the feel of a close knit community that still cares about the homeowners experience living here which honors the need to preserve the lifestyle in the Ranch. It’s really a beautiful thing.

 

RSF Magazine: What can residences hope to see the Society do in the coming years?

John Vreeburg:  In organizing the archives, the Society hope to digitize all the records and documents we have. We also intend to reach out for further grants which will provide us with additional resources to expand the society’s ability to preserve the historical artifacts and continue to make the society open and accessible to residences of the community for years to come. We recently received a generous grant and that allowed us to acquire computers and other technology to fulfill our goals of going digital. It’s really great to see how much people care. The one thing we can’t change is the past and the history that is created by it, but we can preserve it. And that’s what we are here to do.

RSF Magazine:  So how can people reach you if they would like wealth management information or simply have questions about the RSF Historical Society?

John Vreeburg: Well, since we like to keep things close knit like a family here; please feel free to call me directly at 858-875-5004. Because there really is no place like work, and certainly no place like home, in The Ranch.

 

About Jacqueline Maddison

Jacqueline Maddison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Rancho Santa Fe Magazine. She believes in shining light on the best of the best in life. She welcomes you into the world of the ultimate luxury lifestyle.

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