We've assembled what we think is a group of the brightest and most caring financial planners and investment professionals in the country. They each have an interesting personal story and reason they got into this business. We thought you'd like to get to know them a little better. (take a look at our NAPFA financial planner interview)
I grew up in Queens, New York. About 90% of my classmates were Jewish. So when I took a career aptitude test in high school, I was not expecting Mrs. Forrest, the school counselor, to review the results and say:
"Spencer, have you ever thought about becoming a priest?" "Uh, well, no." I said. "You're meant to counsel people on the most intimate aspects of their lives. It's either that or making maps. You scored high on cartography, too." Then she yelled into the hallway "Next!"
10 years later, I'm an MBA student at Wharton Business School. A friend suggests a new course called Financial and Estate Planning. He says the course requires strong math and analytical skills as well as excellent communication skills. Sounds great - I get to combine my love of the math and psychology courses I took at Brandeis! I am very excited.
The first day of the course I learn that a financial advisor needs to have integrity and keep confidential the many personal things told to him "like a priest receiving confession" as well as "plot out a client's life showing where they are now on the 'map' and how to navigate their destination." Yep, that fits. I am often the only person who knows which child will inherit the business and when my client is retiring. As a "mapmaker," I also help my clients see how they can be where they want to be right now, rather than in the distant future. I help people to wake up around money. I had dismissed and forgotten that career aptitude test long ago, but it was right on the mark.
Outside of work, my passions include
Cycling - I met my wife on a bicycle in the Canadian Rockies in the summer of 1993.
Meditation and yoga and Pilates are part of my daily practices to keep me balanced, centered, and calm.
Playing guitar – I just started playing again after a 40-year break.
Backpacking and hiking with my wife and kids.
One goal I'm saving for
A bike trip through Europe, Morocco, Turkey, and Thailand with my family. The kids are
helping by putting some of their weekly allowance in a trip fund box and watching it grow.
One thing I'm doing to help the planet
I joined the Pachamama Alliance Stewardship Circle. Pachamama empowers the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture, and educates and inspires people everywhere to build a thriving, just, and sustainable world. The world's rainforests are invaluable sources of oxygen and medicine for much of the planet.
Primary way I'm advancing my career knowledge
Of course I take continuing education courses to stay current in my profession. But the most important way I develop my practice is by understanding myself and the conditioning I bring to money and decision-making. This was the genesis of The Cure for Money Madness, the book I wrote in 2009 about money and emotion, showing that unmanaged emotion (which I have witnessed in many clients) ends up producing very poor financial decisions and investment results.
Here's a talk a recently did at Ignite Sebastopol on the dirtiest word in the English Language, "Enough."
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David DeWolf Financial Advisor and Partner Los Angeles
David provides wealth strategy for a select group of successful executives and business owners undergoing transitions; he ensures that the
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Darius Gagne Partner and CIO Los Angeles
As far back as I can remember I have been asking questions such as “who are we?”, “why are we
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Neela Bushnell Financial Advisor Los Angeles
My dad created and sold several large companies in the 70's, netting multi-millions of dollars. Through some bad financial advice
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Greg Aloia Financial Advisor Philadelphia
As a young lawyer, I found that the adversarial and confrontational nature of practice was neither in tune with my
Meet Greg >>
Zivia Beniflah Client Service Associate Philadelphia
As a wife and a mother of five children, my primary role for many years was that of nurturer, caretaker,
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Barrett Porter Financial Advisor and Partner Los Angeles
One moment that I'll never forget from my childhood was when my mom suggested to my dad that a college
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Janine Sternleib New Client Steward Bay Area
In 1985, I graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in English literature. I knew nothing about business and
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Michael Heller CCO and Internal Counsel Los Angeles
I was four years out of law school (yes, I'm one of those) and, after
spending countless hours conducting research and
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Adam Salas Trader Los Angeles
I was very fortunate, and extremely grateful, that my parents were able to pay for my education and allow me
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Spencer Sherman Founder and Co-CEO Bay Area
I grew up in Queens, New York. About 90% of my classmates were Jewish. So when I took
Meet Spencer >>
Angela Spirrison Client Service Associate Los Angeles
As a very young single mother raising two girls, I didn’t know what to do, so I did anything and
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Brent Kessel Founder and Co-CEO Los Angeles
To understand why I founded Abacus, we need to travel back in time almost two decades. I’m 27 years old,
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Barbara Wolf Financial Advisor Philadelphia
During college, I gradually began to realize that I would be on my own financially very soon. Perhaps it
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Ericka Neagley Client Service Associate Philadelphia
Ever since I have been working, my jobs have revolved around finance. In high school I sat on the Native
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Michelle Dench Financial Advisor Bay Area
After nearly ten years in the world of corporate banking I felt drained and used up. There was no personal
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J.D. Bruce President, CPA, PFS Los Angeles
My father was a hippie, so naturally I became a CPA. Being a hippie criminal defense attorney, my father fought
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Annemarie Happee Client Service Associate Los Angeles
I was raised by a very young, single father. When I was three, my father and I moved in
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Brian Canning Financial Advisor Los Angeles
I remember I was 9 years old and racing into my house, ready to open the case that held the
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Jason Cole Financial Advisor and Partner Philadelphia
I took my late grandpa Jesse's advice by majoring in accounting at
Penn State. He said "you will always be able
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Kari Jean Glosser Director of Advisor Support Los Angeles
As a young girl, I discovered that even smart people can make bad financial decisions.
My father is one of the
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