From 1948 to 1994, South Africa was governed by the Apartheid regime where people were judged by nothing less than the color of their skin. I was born during that period to East Indian parents in Durban, South Africa. In 2000, after Apartheid was abolished, my parents moved us to the USA.

We worked hard in the early years to make a living and establish ourselves. There were times that we didn't know where our next meal would come from. What we realized was that in order to fully attain the American Dream, we had to help others attain it along the way. My mother used to say, "A leader is a ladder that others can climb."

Those words have guided my journey at Edward Jones as a financial advisor, a mentor, recruiting leader and now as the diversity leader for our area. I recently celebrated 12 years with the best firm to work for, and one that embodies the reason my parents sacrificed so much to move to this land of opportunity. Edward Jones' guiding principle is to put the clients' interests first, and this principle guides our practice in all aspects of our relationships.

This is why our clients hear Courtney Thompson or Andrew Blanchard, and not an automated service, when they call our practice. Courtney was born and raised here in Suffolk, VA. Prior to Edward Jones, she worked successfully in the hospitality industry for 11 years. Andrew is from York County, VA and spent several years in the financial services industry before joining our team.

We have been fortunate to form many amazing relationships within the community with our clients, their CPAs, attorneys and the organizations we serve. I have also been blessed with a wonderful husband, Gavin, who you may meet at our annual Christmas party or at one of our many educational events throughout the year.

Our team is dedicated to forming a lifelong partnership with those we serve. Send us a message, and we will let you know if we or someone we know can help serve you.