Marcia Bloemendaal poses at the Raymond James offices.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUCE FEAGLE
About 10 years into her career in the securities business in Seattle, Marcia Bloemendaal and her husband moved to Rancho Mirage to enjoy the pace and lifestyle of the desert. She has since earned national and state recognition, with honors from Raymond James and Forbes for advising high-net-worth clients on all dimensions of financial planning — accumulating, preserving, and transferring multi-generational wealth. Meanwhile, she has noticed a continual and positive change in the makeup of the Coachella Valley.
“We’re seeing a great change in the migration to the valley with businesses opening and entrepreneurs showing up for business,” Bloemendaal says, emphasizing that more and more people are moving to the area in the prime of their careers. They’re starting or relocating their businesses and creating a variety of new opportunities.
The Montana native says the Coachella Valley and its economy have grown significantly since she arrived 24 years ago. The desert now attracts a younger demographic of people who want to live here permanently, and they bring resources to local enterprises. Bloemendaal says the valley is a great place to live and ripe with opportunity, if you are willing to work hard and put in the time.
“I’ve seen a broader diversification within industry,” says Bloemendaal, who consults with business owners in addition to their families. “The spirit for growing this valley is really developing it into a hub for commerce to thrive.