The Planning Perspectives Podcast Podcast By Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy cover art

The Planning Perspectives Podcast

The Planning Perspectives Podcast

By: Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy
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Welcome to The Planning Perspectives Podcast with Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy from Bryn Mawr Trust, a WSFS company. In this podcast, we bring you real, relatable conversations on being strategic with your money, thriving as a business leader, and powering through life’s transitions—all through the lens of intentional planning. With over a century of experience and insights from industry-leading guests, we go beyond day-to-day finances to explore the decisions that shape your life’s direction. Because when it comes to planning for the future, you don’t know what you don’t know—and that’s where we come in.Copyright ©️ The Planning Perspectives Podcast 2025 Economics
Episodes
  • Charitable Giving Strategies to Align Values and Maximize Impact with Elizabeth Wagner (Ep. 14)

    Charitable Giving Strategies to Align Values and Maximize Impact with Elizabeth Wagner (Ep. 14)
    Apr 1 2026

    Giving is often seen as something reserved for the wealthy, but the truth is far more personal and accessible.

    How do you decide where your money, time, and energy can truly make a difference? And how can you feel confident that your contributions are creating real impact?

    In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy are joined by Elizabeth Wagner, Senior Vice President and Director of Endowments, Foundations, and Charitable Giving at Bryn Mawr Trust, to explore how individuals at any income level can approach philanthropy with intention. They break down how to evaluate charities, align giving with personal values, and use practical strategies like QCDs and tracking donations.

    The conversation also highlights the role of volunteering, family influence, and simple habits that help donors stay organized and effective.

    Key takeaways:

    • How donors can assess if a charity is effective by reviewing leadership, impact reporting, and firsthand experience
    • Why volunteering provides insight into how organizations operate and how funds are actually used
    • A simple notes app strategy to track donations, receipts, and giving habits throughout the year
    • How QCDs and tax strategies can help increase charitable giving without increasing out-of-pocket costs
    • Why aligning giving with personal values and early family influences shapes long term philanthropic habits

    Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

    • 833-973-7633
    • LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
    • Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

    Connect with Kate Duffy:

    • LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

    Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

    • LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins

    Connect with Elizabeth Wagner:

    • LinkedIn: Elizabeth Wagner

    About our Guest:

    As a connector and advisor to nonprofits and philanthropists, Elizabeth Wagner helps organizations build the long-term financial sustainability their missions deserve while guiding donors toward meaningful impact. She leads the endowment, foundation, and charitable practice at Bryn Mawr Trust, supporting organizations with solutions that strengthen their work today and prepare them for future growth and challenges.

    Elizabeth believes every organization should clearly define the role of each asset and use it intentionally to support its mission. She works closely with boards and leadership teams, sharing best practices around investment policy statements, institutional asset allocation, planned giving, and more. She is especially passionate about donor-advised funds, complex gifts, multigenerational giving, and engaging the next generation of philanthropic leaders early.
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    32 mins
  • Leading Wawa’s Legacy of Growth with Chris Gheysens (Ep. 13)

    Leading Wawa’s Legacy of Growth with Chris Gheysens (Ep. 13)
    Mar 18 2026

    What does it take to build a brand that inspires lasting loyalty while navigating decades of growth and rapid change? In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy sit down with Chris Gheysens, CEO and Chairman of Wawa Inc., to explore the leadership mindset, ownership structure, and long‑term strategy behind one of the nation’s most recognizable retail brands.

    Chris shares how servant leadership, employee ownership through Wawa’s ESOP, and a disciplined focus on customer experience fuel the company’s performance. He also discusses Wawa’s pragmatic approach to technology and AI, the realities of national expansion, and why protecting human connection remains central to the brand’s competitive edge.

    Chris discusses:

    • His 33‑year Wawa journey—from Deloitte accountant to longtime CEO and Chairman
    • How Wawa’s ESOP makes over half of its 51,000 associates true employee‑owners
    • The impact of servant leadership and a people‑first culture on loyalty and retention
    • Wawa’s pragmatic approach to AI and its national expansion toward 1,700 stores

    Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

    • 833-973-7633
    • LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
    • Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

    Connect with Kate Duffy:

    • LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

    Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

    • LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins

    Connect with Chris Gheysens:

    • LinkedIn: Chris Gheysens
    • Website: Wawa
    About our Guest: Chris Gheysens is the CEO and Chairman of Wawa, one of the country’s most recognized and beloved convenience retail brands. With over 33 years at the company, Chris began his career at Deloitte, where Wawa became one of his clients, before joining the organization in 1997. He has held roles across accounting, operations, IT, and human resources, and served as CFO before stepping into the CEO role 14 years ago. Under his leadership, Wawa has grown to more than 1,200 stores and 51,000 associates across 14 states, with plans to reach nearly 1,700 locations by the end of the decade. Chris is a strong advocate for servant leadership and employee ownership, overseeing one of the largest Employee Stock Ownership Plans in the country, where associates share the same stock rights as the founding family. A Villanova University graduate, Chris is deeply committed to building a culture that is both highly caring and results-driven, and believes that putting people first, both employees and customers, is the foundation of long-term business strength.

    **note: This guest is a non‑paid member of the WSFS Financial Corporation Board of Directors**
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    37 mins
  • Smarter Strategies to Pay for Education (Ep. 12)

    Smarter Strategies to Pay for Education (Ep. 12)
    Mar 4 2026

    College costs keep rising, but the financial side is only part of the story. How do you plan for education while balancing emotions, expectations, and long-term goals?

    In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy break down smarter, more flexible ways to fund education while navigating the emotions, expectations, and values that shape these decisions.

    They unpack practical strategies around tax‑free growth, frontloading contributions, new Roth rollover rules, and talking with kids about money.

    Whether you’re a parent, planner, or just thinking ahead, this conversation delivers insights most families overlook.

    Key takeaways:

    • Advantages of flexible education funding strategies
    • How frontloading and tax‑free growth can boost long‑term outcomes
    • New opportunities to roll unused education funds into a Roth IRA
    • How to Open family discussions about paying for college

    Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

    • 833-973-7633
    • LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
    • Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

    Connect with Kate Duffy:

    • LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

    Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

    • LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins
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    33 mins
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