-
About Elizabeth Schaefer
Elizabeth joined Johnson Investment Counsel in 2018. She is a Portfolio Manager and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation. Prior to joining the firm, Elizabeth was the Director of Sales & Client Service for Riazzi Asset Management.
-
Education
- Miami University, B.A. English
Community involvement
- St. Charles Parish
- Volunteer
- Archbishop Alter High School
- Board of Trustees
- Finance Committee
- United States Tennis Association
- Junior Team Tennis Captain (former)
Memberships
- Investment Management Consultants Association®
-
Elizabeth's story
Gratitude flows like a river through Elizabeth Schaefer’s world. Her earliest lessons were through examples set by her parents and an older sister, Maureen, whose mental and physical challenges prevented her from communicating by any means other than her joyful, ever-ready smile.
Elizabeth grew up in the south Dayton suburb of Kettering, near where she lives now with her husband, Rob, their daughter, and three sons. She was No. 8 in a family of 10 children. Her mother was a teacher but chose to stay home as the family grew. Her father was from Erie, Pa., and came to Dayton to play basketball for the University of Dayton Flyers. He ran a successful electronics distributing company.
“I was a precocious child. When seven older siblings are leading the way, I think you mature beyond your years. By the time I came along, my parents were fairly hands off, so I had a lot of freedom, which helped me develop confidence.”
Elizabeth played a lot of tennis and did a lot of swimming coming of age. She was a sophomore at Miami University in 1994 when Maureen died at the age of 33. She had been in a wheelchair for two decades and never had a formal diagnosis. Elizabeth says her affliction appeared to have been something like cerebral palsy. Elizabeth remembers asking her mother about it and was told that, after a while, one stops asking and comes to a place of accepting.
“My parents set an example of selflessness and sacrifice,” Elizabeth says.
“Everyone made sacrifices. Someone always had to be home with Maureen, for instance. Not that anyone complained. My entire life, she was unable to communicate verbally – but she was always full of joy, always smiling.
“Through Maureen, Mom and Dad were able to teach us a great deal about faith. Their faith bound them closer. Their belief was that, always with God in their camp, they’d be OK. Their faith has framed their lives and therefore ours as well.”
Elizabeth maintains a close group of friends going back to first grade. She was an English major at Miami. Her father’s advice was that if she could express herself, if she were articulate and could write well, those qualities would take her far.
Turns out he was right, she says. The Chicago investment firm that hired her after graduation preferred to hire liberal arts majors and put them through rigorous training and industry licensing exams. She believes that company and its culture instilled a deep understanding of the industry while stressing the importance of strong relationships and dedicated service.
She says her experience there gave her a great start, one that has guided her through her career to date. “At Johnson Investment Counsel, our motivations truly are to serve. It’s part of being grateful -- and that runs through my life and my career. The same thing is so apparent in the hearts of anyone you’ll talk to here.”
Elizabeth R. Schaefer, CIMA®
Senior Portfolio Manager, Principal
Wealth Management
Team members
Our Services
-
Individuals and Families
Deep expertise. Individualized solutions.
We know each person and every family is different than the next. We take the time to get to know you—your life, expectations, and goals. Our team-based approach provides a range of services and resources that allow us to build solutions that are in alignment with your vision for the future.
-
Investment Management
Our in-house team of full-time research analysts works in concert with our advisors as we construct each portfolio, balancing risk and return for each client’s specific situation.
-
Retirement & Cash Flow Planning
Your path to retirement is as unique as you are. We work closely with you to identify your goals, address your concerns, and ensure long-term financial security by developing a tailored and comprehensive financial plan.
-
Income Tax Planning
Our advisors understand the relationship between taxes, financial planning, and investments. We work with clients and their tax professionals to provide a coordinated solution in line with the overall plan.
-
Estate Planning & Trust Services
Our team of estate planning attorneys and trust professionals within Johnson Trust Company provide counsel to ensure the right decisions are made to preserve and transfer your wealth over time.
-
Charitable Planning
At Johnson Investment Counsel, we facilitate charitable giving in flexible and impactful ways. We also develop and implement a family philanthropy plan for you and your loved ones that will guide multi-generational charitable giving that is clear in purpose and produces measurable results.
-
Asset Protection & Insurance
We focus on balancing clients’ risk exposures and current protections to mitigate the impact of unforeseen events on their financial goals.
-
-
Business Solutions
Services tailored to your business’ current stage
From establishing a robust corporate retirement plan strategy to helping you plan for what comes after the sale of your business, our firm is here to help you navigate your business’ needs. Our team’s expertise and experience make us a knowledgeable and professional partner to ensure long-term success for your business and your employees.
-
Corporate Retirement Plans
We provide a full range of services to help businesses deliver the best retirement plan options to their employees and also handle the responsibilities of plan management and employee engagement. We manage the details so you can focus on the needs of your business.
-
Business Transitions
From helping to formulate a financial plan for the windfall that comes with selling a business to providing corporate guidance, we work closely with business owners to create and implement solid financial strategies. The earlier we can get involved, the greater impact we can make. We provide guidance pertaining to efficient tax planning, charitable planning, and family legacy planning.
-
ESOP Clients
As an employee-owned firm ourselves, we have a unique perspective and deep understanding of employee-owned businesses. This makes us a great partner to help guide the impact and success that employee-owned stock option programs can have in your organization.
-
-
Nonprofit Organizations
Explore our institutional investment services
Our disciplined approach to asset management dates back to our beginnings and our founder, Tim Johnson. Our firm was founded from his desire to put his values into practice and merge proven portfolio management strategies with his genuine interest in helping people and institutions. We still carry forth this mission today, providing customized solutions for institutions and endowments through Johnson Asset Management. This team works closely with our clients to create and implement a long-term plan for your organization that will align your current needs and future goals.
-
Investment Policy Consultation
One of the cornerstones of our long-term success is our ability to partner with organizations to thoroughly understand their investment goals and objectives. We help craft and refine Investment Policy Statements to properly reflect the needs of the organization.
-
Fixed Income Asset Management
As a fixed income manager, our Quality-Yield investment approach to building portfolios combined with our extensive experience and continuity of our investment team, has continued to result in success for our clients.
-
Equity Asset Management
Our strategies emphasize high-quality, predictable cash flow securities at appropriate valuations. All of our equity strategies are built with the expectation of exceptional risk-adjusted results.
-
Asset Allocation
We work closely with you to ensure a disciplined approach to strategic and tactical allocation within the context of risk management.
-
Customized Solutions
By developing a partnership with our clients, we are often in a position to offer tailored solutions.
-