Category: Finance
Hospitality, Family, and Vision: Inside BPG with Chris Buccini (Ep. 2)

Hospitality, Family, and Vision: Inside BPG with Chris Buccini (Ep. 2)

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In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy sit down with Chris Buccini, Co-founder of the Buccini Pollin Group (BPG), to explore how a local dream grew into a $6 billion enterprise. 

Chris shares lessons from three decades in real estate, the power of teamwork, and how hospitality drives business success. His story blends family, community, and bold decisions that have helped shape the city of Wilmington, Delaware and beyond.

Key takeaways:

  • The importance of preparing for downturns and building strong fundamentals in business
  • How hospitality principles influence real estate and client experiences
  • The role of leadership and team culture in scaling BPG to nearly 4,000 employees
  • The challenges and rewards of working with family and building respect in partnerships
  • The origin and impact of BPG Sports and its role in Delaware’s economy
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust: 

Connect with Kate Duffy: 

Connect with Jamie Hopkins: 

Connect with Chris Buccini: 

About Our Guest: 

Chris Buccini is Founder of Buccini Pollin Group, Inc. (“BPG”), a privately-held, real estate investment, development, and management company.  BPG develops and acquires hotel, office, residential, retail, and parking properties, and sports and entertainment venues throughout the United States. Chris leads the firm’s investment management platform, Corten Capital, and its commercial management affiliate, BPG Real Estate Services, LLC, and is a director of PM Hotel Group, Inc., a hotel management company with over 3,500 rooms under management. In addition, Chris is co-founder and co-owner of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union.

Chris is the Chairman of the YPO Intercontinental Chapter, a member of the Board of Trustees of Wilmington Friends School, a member of the University of Delaware President’s Leadership Council, the Delaware Business Roundtable, and Hagley Museum and Library Council of Advisors.

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Redefining Retirement with Christine Benz (Ep. 1)

Redefining Retirement with Christine Benz (Ep. 1)

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Retirement isn’t just about money; it’s about how you spend your time, maintain relationships, and create a meaningful life.

In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy welcome Christine Benz, Morningstar’s Director of Personal Finance, to explore how retirement planning is shifting from purely financial to a more holistic approach.

Christine shares insights from her book How to Retire, highlighting why delaying retirement can be powerful, why relationships matter most, and how small lifestyle choices shape longevity.

Key takeaways:

  • Why phasing into retirement often works better than stopping suddenly
  • The value of enjoying experiences like family trips, even while still working
  • How relationships form the core of happiness in retirement
  • Why men, in particular, should proactively plan for social interactions after work
  • The role of physical activity and everyday interactions in staying well longer 

Resources:

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust: 

Connect with Kate Duffy: 

Connect with Jamie Hopkins: 

Connect with Christine Benz: 

About Our Guest: 

Christine Benz is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar and senior columnist for Morningstar.com. In that role, she focuses on retirement and portfolio planning for individual investors. 

Benz is the author of How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement (Harriman House, September 2024). She also wrote 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances (Wiley, 2010) and Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success, published in 2005. 

She also co-hosts a podcast for Morningstar, The Long View, which features in-depth interviews with thought leaders in investing and personal finance. She is a frequent public speaker and is widely quoted in the media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, CNBC, and PBS. In 2020, Barron’s named her to its inaugural list of the 100 most influential women in finance; she appeared on the 2021 list as well. In 2021, Barron’s named her as one of the 10 most influential women in wealth management. 

Before assuming her current role in 2008, she served as Morningstar’s director of mutual fund analysis and was editor of Morningstar Mutual Funds and Morningstar FundInvestor.

Benz holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and Russian from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is president of the board for the John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy. Benz is also a member of The Alpha Group, a group of thought leaders from the wealth management industry from across the country. In her free time, she works with underprivileged women to improve their understanding of personal finance concepts.

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Welcome to The Planning Perspectives Podcast: The Human Side of Planning with Jamie Hopkins & Kate Duffy

Welcome to The Planning Perspectives Podcast: The Human Side of Planning with Jamie Hopkins & Kate Duffy

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Hosts Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy share their journeys, first money memories, and the life lessons behind financial planning.

From gravel shovels to fog machines, ballroom dancing to estate planning, they reveal how personal experiences shape the way we view money and life choices. Their candid reflections highlight the emotional and behavioral aspects of financial planning, underscoring why conversations about money are always deeply personal.

Key Points:

  • Jamie and Kate’s backstory of meeting and how they came together at Bryn Mawr Trust
  • First money memories and how early experiences shape money attitudes
  • Emotional and psychological factors in financial planning, from independence to fear of loss
  • Their biggest “aha” moments around money and the importance of planning before a crisis
  • Personal recharge activities like ballroom dancing, cooking, movies, and how balance ties into intentional planning

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust: 

Connect with Kate Duffy: 

Connect with Jamie Hopkins: 

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