Moving Along the Goal Plan

Many of you are familiar with our Goal Planning and Monitoring software (GPM), which we leverage extensively in our recurring tactical planning meetings. When the program first became available to us in 2012, I learned how it worked via training sessions and most practically by creating my own personal plan for Debbie’s and my family. One of the most terrifying aspects of our plan was that it included TWELVE consecutive years of college tuition, assuming that all five of our children would graduate in four years. We did say to each of them the same thing my parents said to me, “You can stay in college for as long as it takes; we will pay for the first four years!”

I am extremely proud to say that our family’s EDUCATION box has been checked…our twins, Evan and Seth, graduated in mid-May from the University of Kansas and the University of Arizona, respectively. Our twelve-year journey as college parents is complete. It has been exhausting and exhilarating…we have had a lot of fun with all of our kids (luckily, only those two schools were involved for undergraduate work…three to U of A and two to KU), and we will look back fondly at the college towns where we made so many family memories.

I have watched so many of your families go through monumental life events during my career. The business owner clients who were in their late 50’s are now octogenarians, and their then high school-aged children are now 40-yr old clients with children and 529 plans of their own. And you all have watched my kids grow up (some of you might remember me passing out chocolate bars with HEREHEIS in block letters resembling the Hershey’s label 24 years ago). It is hard to fathom the ages we have all become and how much has been accomplished – but here we are!

Watching the two young men who I have been a father figure to for the past 16 years do the graduation walks in their caps and gowns was surreal. I have written before in this space that their biological father passed away when they were just three (and big sister Abrie was just seven) and there have been many life events where it is very apparent that he is missed by Debbie as well as the three of them. I vividly remember Evan proudly telling me that he and Seth went to “Kindergarten Roundup” while Debbie and I were dating, and he declared himself very ready for “big kid school.” I am so proud of the adults they have become…Debbie has done a masterful job of keeping Jeff’s memory alive while appreciating all that the two of us have done in raising all of them.

What comes next for the twins is still to be determined…Evan majored in Exercise Science and is trying to pursue a career in medical device sales; Seth majored in finance and is interested in the business of sports. Debbie and I are confident that just like Jonah, Abrie and Brett did before them, they will figure it out and their first step will not be their last.

Navigating the dual drop-offs to college four years ago to the logistics of attending both graduations over the same weekend is a long story for another time. Having all of their siblings plus a spouse all present to celebrate both of them was unbelievably special. Like Jack Johnson sings, “It’s always better when we’re together!”

-Gary Weiss, June 2025