Alumni Feature - Dawn '12 and Greg '94 Zibricky

Dawn Zibricky '12 on her graduation day.

Dawn Zibricky ‘12 grew up outside of Quincy, Illinois, more than 300 miles away from the first home she shared with her husband, Greg ‘94 in the Mt. Greenwood neighborhood. She never dreamt that living in Chicago was for her until she made a trip with some friends years ago to Billy Goat Tavern on Lower Wacker Drive in the Loop.

When Dawn arrived, she saw first-hand the homeless that lived on the streets, ailing and begging for money. She witnessed how dire the need was for quality health and human services for the people of the city. What was initially a night out with friends became a moment of higher-calling for Dawn.

She would go on to earn her bachelors and masters' degrees in Nursing, a doctorate in Educational Leadership, and teach at Lewis for some years before taking a position to teach at Elmhurst College. She felt drawn to administer care, heal, and teach others to do the same. Education and health sciences were Dawn's passions, something she used to propel her throughout her life and throughout a two and a half year-long battle with cancer that she tragically lost in 2019. But despite her illness, she never stopped fighting for her two sons – Ben and Aaron – and neither did Greg.

Greg Zibricky '94

In 1996, Aaron was diagnosed in the autism spectrum, something Dawn and Greg both suspected when, by the time he was three and a half, he was not meeting developmental milestones. Aaron had also developed fascinations with very particular things like maps and ceiling fans, and had taken to repeating words over and over, a behavior known as “echolalia.” At the time, Greg recalls how he had just left his job at a financial firm and was trying to get his feet firmly planted in the ground as an independent certified financial planner. Greg graduated from Lewis in 1994 with his bachelor’s in business administration after working at MetLife and other various financial institutions at a young age. "I did it backward", he says. "I got my designations, my key associates, and then came to Lewis for my degree. But I found out more about myself as I got older."

Dawn and Greg quickly found themselves in a unique situation. Of course, they wanted the best for their son. They wanted him to get the best care he could; live the best life he could, but the reality was that achieving those goals would require thoughtful financial planning. Greg and Dawn couldn’t help but think that they weren’t the only ones trying to navigate life with a child in the autism spectrum. Combining their passions for education, health care, and financial planning, Dawn and Greg hit the road, going on speaking engagements and showing their community the importance of thinking ahead. At the same time, Greg was running his own company as president of Provider Group Wealth Advisors and looking to help clients who needed traditional money management services.

"I get a lot of gratification in preparing people, getting them ready for what needs to be done before something goes wrong. I've always known I was a planner and preparing people is what I care about."

The Zibricky’s presentation centered around the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y. While Dawn and Greg had different words for each initial, their goal was the same: to help families better understand their loved ones and their options so that whatever safety net they decided to craft, it would be secure. Their presentations and community activism led to the creation and release of their book F.A.M.I.L.Y. Autism Guide: Your Financial and Day-to-Day Blueprint for Autism, now available for purchase on Amazon.

“This book became a full-circle moment for us. It was like we were able to close the circle on our mission. When our son Aaron was diagnosed in the autism spectrum, there were only a few financial advisors in the country who were considered experts in the area of helping families who had a loved one with disabilities. As Aaron grew older and Dawn became more involved in the autism community, we naturally met more people who looked to us for help. The book is a starter kit intended to touch key points without overwhelming a family that does not have the knowledge or 

experience we have had."

Aaron, now 26, and Ben, now 23, have both grown, graduated with bachelor’s degrees, and work full-time. As a family, the Zibricky’s enjoy traveling, attending music and sporting events, and staying involved in their New Lenox community. Aaron’s fascination with maps never left him. His degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has led to a dream career. Aaron archives blueprints, maps and surveys for the Village of New Lenox. Greg continues to run Provider Group Wealth Advisors today and is very grateful that his business will turn 20 years old on November 1.

“I am thankful for my sons, for the skill set I gained from raising them with my wife. I’m honored to have had a wonderful, beautiful partner for 31 years and grateful for Dawn’s consistent encouragement. I wish to continue to make an impact on my community and hopefully, help advance societal ideas about money matters.”