Learn all about Tara Murphy, our new marketing specialist and Thorn Murphy’s wife!

Tara comes from an extensive marketing background, spending more than a decade with Cummins, Inc., the Columbus-based engine manufacturing company. She started as an intern before working her way up to become a full-time employee once she graduated from college. She immediately entered the marketing department with a focus on literature and marketing collateral. “Initially, I heavily focused on copywriting and copy editing,” she says. “Though I didn’t come in with an extensive knowledge of the products themselves, I picked it up quickly thanks to the team around me. It also took a major time commitment, but proving to myself that I could learn and firmly understand the material has become key in other aspects of my life, like this new role at Giesting.”

By the time she reached the end of her time with Cummins, she mostly focused on digital marketing for trade shows. She also set up digital kiosks that helped consumers access the products and information they needed. Additionally, she ran and coordinated monthly webinars for stakeholders, offering updates and vital information about the company’s latest developments. “I wore many hats when I worked at Cummins, but I developed skills that became crucial in my career. Now, I think I communicate and manage projects extremely effectively,” Tara says.

It was also helpful to have family at the company, making Tara more comfortable even as her role evolved. Her Dad, brother-in-law, and Thorn worked there, giving her a close, supportive line of communication with problem-solving skills. “It was so nice to have them near when I first started my career,” Tara says. “I know Thorn and I work well together, and I also see the value in connecting with our clients as a family. Though Giesting Financial is a smaller firm, we like to maintain the value of those close connections, which I think is important when it comes to building relationships with our clients and their families.”

From living in Columbus for her entire life, she’s also well-plugged into the issues those clients and their families face, and she loves the small-town feel we bring while still offering the same services that a major financial services firm would offer. Tara says, “Giesting sets itself aside as a holistic financial services firm that can provide any service our clients might need. Our partnerships give us access to tools that can set us apart when helping clients, and our advisory team has designations that give them the power to completely customize a portfolio. Still, though, they’re transparent and education-focused, and they always work to make sure clients know exactly what’s happening in their plan.”

Tara is also excited to begin working in a smaller, hands-on team, and she thinks the built-in chemistry she has with Thorn will help them give clients the service they need and deserve. She says, “Our minds work very differently, but that makes us a great team. “I tend to be more focused on the creative side of things, while he looks at things analytically; looking at the big picture to problem-solve. This team is already so efficient, so I’m just glad to be another part of this well-oiled machine.”

In her personal life, Tara coaches cheer at North, one of the local high schools. A cheerleader at Columbus North High School herself, she eventually went on to cheer at her alma mater, Ball State University. She says, “I adore coaching and working with the girls. It’s also perfect because the boys like to go watch the football games on Friday nights, so we go to the games as a family to watch the football team and the cheerleading squad.”

The Murphy family is extremely family oriented. Tara and Thorn often watch their two sons at youth sporting events. The four also ride their bikes into town to grab pizza or snow cones with their extended family. “My sister lives just one street over from us, and we have boys who are the same age. It has been so much fun to watch them grow up together and become best friends. On top of having my sister’s family around, we also have both sets of parents in Columbus. The boys love to sneak away with my parents from time to time to visit their home away from home in Florida,” Tara says.

Tara is very active in the Columbus community. She currently sits on the Riley Children’s Hospital Philanthropic Board for their region, and Thorn attends each event in hopes of contributing to a cause that’s so personal to them. When their youngest son was just two days old, he had to be transported to Riley Children’s Hospital because of respiratory distress. Luckily, the doctors and staff were able to save him, and he’s now a healthy and happy elementary school student.

Tara is also currently working to get more involved in raising awareness for childhood cancer, another cause that she has unfortunately become close to after a senior cheerleader she worked with recently passed from glioblastoma. As September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Tara is trying to get word out about the ‘Well Yeah Ariel Roberts Foundation’, an organization that raises funds and awareness for childhood cancer. To help bring the subject to light, you can wear gold and participate in the many events hosted by the foundation. You can also help raise awareness by keeping the discussion alive about the importance of thorough research. If you’re interested in getting involved, click here to learn more about the Well Yeah Ariel Roberts Foundation, or click here to follow them on social media.