When I was young, my father died unexpectedly. What could have been a financially devastating moment for our family wasn't, because my father had the right life insurance in place. That coverage meant we could stay in our home and that college tuition was covered. I never forgot that. When I began my career in financial services in 1989, I started with Mass Mutual because I had seen firsthand what a well-constructed plan can mean for a family when they need it most.
That experience shaped the way I approach my work to this day. My subsequent affiliations with Smith Barney and then LPL Financial gave me a deeper fluency in investment and financial planning, but the thread connecting all of it has always been the same one: helping people feel prepared for whatever comes next. Earning the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation was a natural extension of that, because the questions that come with retirement are among the most consequential a person will face, and I wanted to be as well-equipped as possible to work through them together with my clients. After more than 35 years in this industry, the thing that still keeps me engaged is helping clients. Clients want a trusted sounding board before they make a significant financial decision, and I take that role seriously.
I grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, after spending my earliest years in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Today, my wife, Robin, and I live in Denver, Colorado, where our two children and three granddaughters also live. That proximity to family means a great deal to both of us.
I was a Division I tennis player at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and staying active has been a constant throughout my life. These days, that looks like pickleball, cycling, lifting weights, and reading. I also spend as much time as I can with my granddaughters, which I would argue is the most demanding athletic activity of all.
Credentials
RICP® (2016)
MBA, Marketing, Loyola University Chicago
BBA, Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Madison