I love my job. That is so cliché, yet it is true. Why? Well, it is a cumulation of factors … client relationships, consulting and financial planning, investment analytics and strategy development, and entrepreneurial challenges. I enjoy it all.
My folks deserve a lot of credit for my interests and pursuits. As a kid, I remember countless trips with my mom to the Smith Barney office, when, during many of her meetings, I was left thumbing through Value Lines … typing random tickers into the green analog screen … or charting the weekly performance for the last 20 years of the Dow Jones industrials with a pencil, ruler, and graph paper. And during those same years, I also remember tagging along with my dad when he serviced the mainframes at Harry & David. Those years were formative years. Investments and databases are still intriguing.
While I have been investing my entire adult life, I originally pursued a career outside of wealth management. After graduating from UC Davis with a bachelor of science and from the University of Southern California with a master's in health care administration, I started working in data analytics and consulting, collaborating with hospital executives to improve the financial performance and the quality of care provided at their organizations. I began at a start-up company in Bellevue, Washington, which slowly morphed through mergers and acquisitions into larger companies. Just after I left the company in 2015, the Watson Group of IBM purchased the firm.
After 15 years of healthcare consulting, I decided to pursue my interest in financial planning and investment management. The change allowed me to stop traveling by airplane from job to job, to stay closer to home, and to have more time with my kids. The profession has also allowed me to continue consulting; develop longer-term and more meaningful relationships with my clients; and pursue a field in which I have passion and interest. It has been a momentous change.
The Pacific Northwest and the mythical State of Jefferson have always felt like home. I relish the opportunity to live and work from here. Medford was a great place to grow up. Mt. Shasta is now home, which has been the perfect place to raise my family. We enjoy the ability to commune with Lemurians during our outdoor pursuits of skiing, whitewater kayaking, and cycling. I have fond memories of kayaking on the Rogue River, bicycle touring down the Oregon coast, and ski racing in high school at Mt. Ashland; I am creating similar memories with my kids even if the venues have shifted slightly to the south.
The local community is awesome, and I have tried to give back. I served as Mt. Shasta’s mayor (2015) and as a city council member (2013–2016). I have also spent time on the board of a local health clinic, on the board of the local Nordic ski area, and as a youth soccer coach. Currently, I am a board member of the Northstate Community Foundation, volunteer with the Mount Shasta High School ski team, and a Rotarian.
That is a little about me. There is a lot more to share … and feel free to ask. I look forward to having time to learn about you, too.
When we do have a chance to sit down together, you'll find me dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. All of us experience successes and struggles … and I am empathetic to each having been there myself. Regardless of where we are at in life, now is always a good time to shore up finances. Through listening, attention to detail, and a rule-based practice, I will strive to make personal finance and long-term investing easy for you. That is my commitment … and that is why I love my job.