Pat working from his home office when he first began what would become Benson Financial Group.
 

Location at Bank of Hannibal (now Homebank)

Benson Financial Group: The First Decade

It was a late evening in 1996 as Pat Benson pulled into his driveway after a long day on the road. He was tired, but it was a good kind of weariness. He was building something from the ground up—but he didn’t exactly know what.

Thirty years later, Pat seated himself at a long, glass-covered oak table with a screen behind it that read, “Welcome to Benson Financial Group.” In one of several conference rooms, a busy team prepared for a day filled with clients to serve.

“I am always amazed by what God has done here,” Pat said. 

One of nine siblings, Pat grew up on a farm in rural Monroe City, where his family has owned and operated Hassard Elevator since 1918. Staying in a family business he loved seemed an obvious career choice, but something stirred inside him.

“I could count on Hassard Elevator, and I liked the work, but I felt called to do something different when it was time to decide about my future,” Pat said. “I knew I wanted to do something that would bring value to people, but I wasn’t sure what.”

It was his brother, Mark Benson, who suggested he consider financial services. Pat had tried it once with some success, but it wasn’t the right time. In 1996, with Connie’s encouragement, he went full-time with it. 

The transition felt risky, with their 7-year-old daughter Kyley at home and a life to maintain. Connie, at the time, taught at Monroe City High School, but the move slashed a significant portion of their income.

“Starting out, my income was level with the floor—there was no guaranteed income,” he said. “We had to build it.”

Pat converted a bedroom into a home office, but most of his hours in those early days were spent on the road. In his first year, Pat traveled more than 40,000 miles, making home visits and establishing relationships with clients.

He teamed with Mark and a group of veteran advisors from the St. Louis area who accompanied him in meetings and worked with him through his licensing. Pat needed a client base, and building that foundation was a challenge.

“I had to make the calls and just hope people would talk to me. Those who did sit down with me were so gracious. I was brand new. What did I know about the business?” Pat said. “If Mark wasn’t with me, there was another veteran advisor with me, and it always seemed like there was just instant trust.”

Long before he ever made a financial recommendation, he had learned what it meant to earn trust. 

“When I was a little boy, I remember standing next to my dad at the grain elevator. He told me, ‘If farmers aren’t bringing grain into our elevator, we don’t have a reason to have an elevator,’” Pat said. “I tell our clients that all the time—if you're not walking through our doors and entrusting us, we don’t have any reason to open them. We are here because people have entrusted us.”

It was a lesson he would carry into every client meeting.

As his client base grew, Pat moved to a dedicated location in downtown Hannibal on North Third Street.  A few years later, he returned to a home office when he and Connie moved to a larger house.  

Although his office was in his home, Pat made sure his home life and work did not overlap. He focused on his faith first and then his family, making sure to be present and home and not miss Kyley’s events.

"I have tried to live with purpose, so I can keep focus on what matters,” he said. “I didn’t do it perfectly, but I think I did a pretty good job."

That became more challenging as his number of clients grew and the hours in the day did not. Pat found himself working nearly around the clock. He was excited about the momentum, but he always wanted to be a good steward of those already trusting him. Pat eventually hired Steve Hill as a part-time advisor to help with his workload.

“I’ve always believed that you should never bring in a new client if you can’t take care of the ones that you have,” he said. 

As the business continued to grow, an unexpected opportunity came in the form of a phone call from Jerry Trower at Bank of Hannibal. The bank was constructing a new building, and Jerry invited Pat to move his office into the space. 

Pat was hesitant at first, unsure if they were ready for something that large. But with Connie’s encouragement, he agreed. The move not only marked a new chapter of growth, but it was also the moment the business formally became Benson Financial Group.

For Pat, it’s always been about the people and their stories.

“Truth is, I never got into this business with the mindset of growing into a big company. I was really not in it for the money,” he said. “I just wanted to bring value to people and make a difference in their lives.”

Silas Acuff, Wellness Director at the YMCA

Just as financial health requires steady planning and wise decisions, physical health is built the same way — one intentional step at a time.

Sometimes the hardest part of getting healthy isn’t the workout.

It’s taking the first step.

Silas Acuff, wellness director at the Hannibal YMCA, said it can be as simple as doing one percent more than you did yesterday—and one practical way to begin is by setting step goals.

“The goal isn’t perfection,” he said. “It’s progression. Small changes each day eventually add up to a new lifestyle.”

A healthy target for most adults is between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day. That could mean parking a little farther from the store, walking around the block or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. 

“It’s really about moving a little more each day.” Silas said. “Maybe you set a goal to walk a mile in under 20 minutes this week, then gradually pick up the pace.”

Strength Has No Age Limit

As we age, bad knees, joint replacements and stiffness can make movement feel intimidating. 

But those challenges don’t have to derail fitness goals. Silas recommends low-impact activities like swimming, water aerobics, biking or using an elliptical to reduce pressure on joints while still strengthening the heart and lungs.

“These aerobic activities are important for cardio workouts,” he said. “But we also want to make sure we’re challenging our skeletal muscles.”

He defines functionality as “strength plus range of motion”—being strong enough to move through daily life with confidence and less pain.

“It’s not about squatting 200 pounds,” Silas said. “It’s about being able to hold your grandchild, squat down and stand back up without fear of falling.”

That kind of strength doesn’t have an age limit.

In fact, building and maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important over time. Strength training improves bone density, supports balance and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Combined with regular aerobic movement, it creates a foundation for long-term health.

The good news is strength training doesn’t have to mean heavy weights or complicated equipment. Even simple bodyweight movements can be modified.

“People hear ‘squats’ and think they can’t do one because of bad knees,” Silas said. “But a squat is essentially sitting down with control and standing back up.”

Silas suggested these simple modifications:

• Squats (Sit-to-Stand Style): Hold a sturdy surface with a chair behind you. Sit back until you touch the chair, then stand. Over time, rely less on your hands.
• Push-Ups (Incline Version): Use a table or counter instead of the floor. As it gets easier, move to a lower surface.
• Pull-Ups (Assisted): Start with an assisted machine or resistance band and gradually decrease the support as you grow stronger.

So how much is enough?

A general guideline is about 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day, along with that 8,000 to 10,000 step goal. For some, that may look like three longer sessions a week. For others, it may mean shorter daily bursts. The most important factor is consistency.

“Eighty percent of the job is having a plan,” he said. “Write it down. What are your goals? When are you moving? Putting pen to paper is already a step forward.”

Even on days when motivation feels low, movement can help.

“Motion is lotion,” Silas said with a smile. “When we don’t move, we get stiffer. When we move, we feel better. It helps physically and mentally. Whether you’re on the mountaintop or in the valley, exercise helps you process life.”

For Silas, physical training is more than a job—it’s a calling. Many people first come to him carrying labels they’ve believed for years: I’m weak. I’m not athletic. I can’t do this.

“But those labels don’t define them,” he said. “God created us in His image, with great purpose and potential. Our body is a gift, and caring for it is part of stewarding what we’ve been given — using our heart, soul, mind and strength to honor Him.”

Over time, as clients take small steps forward, those old labels fall away, and confidence takes their place.

Strength, he believes, isn’t just physical. It’s remembering who you were created to be—and living like it. And sometimes, in the middle of a difficult rep, Silas gets to remind them.

“That was tough,” Silas said. “And you did it.”