Nina Lloyd of Opus Financial Advisors is a serious arts appreciator here in Chatham County. For six years, she’s served as Vice President of the family-owned company her dad started when she was a small child. She opened the firm’s Chatham County office in 2016 on a beautiful property on Mann’s Chapel Road.
Maybe everything you need to know about Nina, her family, and her company as arts supporters is in the name of their business. An opus is “any artistic work, especially on a large scale.” Or maybe you can see it in their tag line: “Orchestrating your financial future.“ Maybe you know that they go to a lot of arts events. A lot of them. Maybe you’ve seen the work of local artists adorning their office walls. This is a family for whom the arts are integral to work and life.
When we sat down with Nina and her two super-cute dogs earlier this year, here’s what she had to say about Opus and family and the arts and doing life in Chatham.
What’s your name? Nina Staples Lloyd
What do you do with your days? As a Vice President at Opus Financial Advisors, I work four days a week here in Chatham County, and I spend one day per week serving clients in our Statesville location. At any given moment you might find me plotting the course of our company’s future, meeting with clients, crunching numbers, volunteering at the school my boys attend, or walking my dogs. At all times, you find a proud wife and doting mom.
I know family is a big deal in your life. How did you start working with your father? I always knew I would eventually work with Dad, but I didn’t want people to think I was just the boss’s daughter. I wanted to prove to Dad, to our clients, and primarily to myself that I could be successful outside his circle of influence. As such, I spent 10 years climbing the corporate ladder at two other financial firms in the Triangle Region before joining Opus.
What’s the first arts experience you remember from childhood? My grandparents loved classical music. From a very young age, they took my sister and me to the NC Symphony Holiday Pops concert each year. I can also vividly remember listening to Peter and the Wolf on their basement stereo over and over. There were no words, but even as young girls we could follow the story the music represents. Our love for our grandparents quickly intertwined with a growing love of music that is still with us today.
I love that painting. Is it yours? No, my grandfather did that one. And a few others hanging in the office. He never sold one piece, but he was unequivocally an artist. This table we’re sitting at was my grandparents’ first dinner table. There’s a lot of family history represented in this space.
It’s a gorgeous space. How do you use it, besides seeing clients? The transformation of this property has been a really exciting process. When we walked through the space the first time, we could see such potential. In addition to our financial advisory practice, we use the property to support worthy causes. Our team wants to consistently give of our time, talent, and resources. In my work on various boards for local nonprofits, I quickly learned space is a coveted resource for charitable organizations. We’ve hosted a number of fundraisers, board retreats, and gatherings for area groups—and will continue to do so.
Speaking of giving back, for those who’ve never sponsored an arts program, will you talk about why you like it? We sponsor a number of arts events in the communities we serve—and there are so many reasons why we continue to do so. Each spring and fall, we sponsor and participate in the Statesville Art Crawl. Our team works during the event showcasing the work of painters, potters, and woodworkers in our Statesville office. Selfishly, my favorite part is hanging out with the artists. It’s one thing to see someone’s work on the wall. It’s another to spend time with a person who invests their whole self in pursuing a form of creative expression with a willingness to sacrifice in order to master a craft. I’m so interested in the process, the commitment.
And as our naming sponsor several years in a row for our bluegrass concert, what’s one thing that excites you about the Chatham Arts Council’s work? I have to name just one? In that case, the Artists-in-Schools work. I had that amazing arts exposure as a kid, and I think early access to the arts is critical. And the Chatham Arts Council is making it happen and in a meaningful way for the kids of Chatham County.
Thanks so much, Nina. We’re so glad you brought Opus Financial Advisors to Chatham County.
