The deep, enduring roots of Montoya Brower & associates reflect its founders’ business leadership, and their commitment to make service dominate daily activities. “Serve First, Last and Always” is as much a standing marching order as it is a philosophy.
Those roots extend to 1989, when co-owner H. William “Will” Montoya, a promising young broker with Dean Witter Reynolds, decided to affiliate with Lincoln Financial Advisors and build his own business.
Initially, Will was Montoya Financial Services, and embarked on a mission to serve his peers: equally ambitious and enterprising owners and executives of smaller and medium-sized businesses.
Service was also something Montoya received in his early years: He was able to move to Jacksonville Beach in 1992 and pursue numerous opportunities thanks to the generosity of another firm. They gave him office space – a gesture Will has not forgotten. In 1996 he established his own Jacksonville Beach address, moving into what had been a two-story residence on Fourth Street North. Almost immediately, it became the site for a bustling business that kept outgrowing its space.
In 1999, Montoya expanded into the one-story building next door to its headquarters.
In May of 2003 Montoya moved once again, into larger quarters on Marsh Landing Parkway, along the Jacksonville Beach - Ponte Vedra Beach border. Prompting that decision was another decision that he and Darby Brower had reached the preceding autumn: to merge their two thriving businesses and form Montoya Brower and associates, a dynamic and more capable full-service financial organization.
It was the proverbial match made in business heaven: Darby Brower, too, had launched his financial career in 1985, with the commercial banking arm of NCNB. Two years later, he became manager of the NCNB Private Banking office in Jacksonville.
In 1991 – and mirroring the career of his partner to be – Brower began his affiliation with Lincoln Financial Advisors as a financial planner and employee benefit consultant. In 1993 his role with Lincoln expanded; at the same time, Brower also launched his own financial planning practice. In turn, his success and reputation grew, along with his friendship with Montoya. A merger became the logical next step, one that would not only offer even greater employee benefit expertise but also a new level of expertise in investment, financial planning and retirement planning fields.
In March of 2005, the wisdom of the decision to unite became ever more evident. Growth continued. Montoya Brower & Associates also added more employees as their client base grew – to the point that yet another move into larger quarters was required, this time into a new and larger location in Ponte Vedra Beach.
And a wise move that has proven to be. Montoya Brower kept growing and adding new clients, which has put one more move on the company’s agenda: This time, however it will be into its own headquarters building located on Ponte Vedra Park Drive. The two-story, 13,200 square feet structure will be completed March of 2007.
That will make four moves in less than seven years. Like the others, the 2007 relocation will provide Montoya Brower with more capacity to better serve our clients.
The organizational move undertaken in 2007 has redefined Montoya Brower & associates as a distinct business unit, enabling it to improve its delivery of employee benefits services still further. A second distinct unit, Montoya Brower Financial Strategies, now focuses on wealth accumulation and preservation, financial and estate planning, business succession and retirement planning, as well as other individual needs.
With its continued affiliation with Lincoln Financial Group, the marketing arm of Lincoln National Corporation, Montoya Brower & associates is now positioned to take full advantage of its many service opportunities, and continue its successful track record. More than ever, it remains convinced that a bright future is ahead of it.
