Clients, partners, and financial advisors celebrate with Oak Partners at 16th annual Oaktoberfest

On Friday, September 18, Oak Partners welcomed clients, guests, community partners, financial advisors, and staff members to Bulldog Park for its 16th annual Oaktoberfest celebration.

The event has become an anticipated tradition and one of Oak Partners’ largest client gatherings of the year, bringing people together for an evening of live music, local food, and conversation outside of the firm’s offices.

For Brock Naaman, wealth advisor at Oak Partners, Oaktoberfest reflects the importance the firm places on building relationships that extend beyond financial planning and investment management.

“For us, a client relationship doesn’t begin and end in a conference room,” Naaman said. “Oaktoberfest gives us an opportunity to spend time with the people and families we serve in a completely different setting. This year’s record attendance speaks to the strength of those relationships and the sense of community that has developed around the firm.”

The first Oaktoberfest was held in the parking lot of Oak Partners’ Crown Point office 16 years ago. Today, the celebration has grown into a major gathering at Bulldog Park, featuring live music from Yacht Party Rock and food from vendors including Mission BBQ.

Naaman believes that growth reflects Oak Partners’ longstanding commitment to remaining visible, accessible, and involved throughout the communities it serves.

“Strong advisory relationships are built on trust, accessibility, and genuine involvement in people’s lives,” Naaman said. “Our clients and community partners know that we want to be present—not only when an important financial decision needs to be made, but throughout the year. Whether we’re supporting Habitat for Humanity, bringing in the FBI to educate clients about fraud, or hosting an event like Oaktoberfest, the goal is to provide value and bring people together.”

Mario Ruiz, senior partner at Oak Partners, understands how important and beloved the event has become for many clients.

“The clients love it. This is probably the event we hear from our clients about the most. They want to come and enjoy it,” Ruiz said. “It’s a beautiful time of year, and there’s no pressure. It’s just a chance for us to come and hang out, have fun, eat some good food, and drink some beer. There’s no sales talk, no investment talk—unless they want to. It’s a pretty casual event.”

Ruiz hopes everyone in attendance leaves with an understanding of how much Oak Partners values its clients and the surrounding community.

“It’s kind of like community outreach, where we’re not expecting anything out of them. We’re just trying to give back to our clients’ , show them a good time, have them invite people they know, and come with their families,” Ruiz said.

Oaktoberfest has continued to grow while retaining the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere that first made it popular. New guests attend each year, while many longtime clients have made the celebration an annual tradition of their own.

“It’s nice to be hanging out in this environment. This is my second time here, and my first time was last year,” said Dan G., an Oak Partners client. “I’m very glad that I went with Oak Partners.”

Oaktoberfest is one of several opportunities Oak Partners creates for clients to connect with their advisors and one another throughout the year. Upcoming events include the firm’s fall economic update on Tuesday, September 22, along with seasonal gatherings hosted by individual advisory teams.

“We want our clients to have regular opportunities to see us and engage with our team outside of scheduled reviews,” Naaman said. “Events like Oaktoberfest, our market updates, and our spring March Madness gathering help us stay connected. That accessibility is an important part of how we serve people and build relationships designed to last.”

To learn more about Oak Partners and its financial advisory services, please visit oakpartners.com.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.