I grew up on a farm where my dad taught me a strong work ethic by providing character-building responsibilities, especially during harvest time. I learned that working hard and fulfilling my responsibilities on the farm were values that would last a lifetime.
My parents were committed Christians and role models of Christian values. Responsibility, commitment, integrity and love were some of the many things I learned from them. And when I came to a personal relationship with Christ, my entire life took on a new meaning as these core values were now centered in my relationship with Him.
While finishing a double major in Bible and psychology, my life took an unexpected turn. My wife and I had been married just three months when she became pregnant with our first child, although our plan had been to wait until after I finished seminary to start our family. Thus, my first lesson about planning was that, while it is important to have a plan, one must be flexible and trust that God’s plan is ultimately the best. The future is always in His hands.
“My career has been dedicated to bringing solutions to individuals and families that are appropriate for them and their unique set of values and dreams.’
With a strong desire to serve God, help people and provide for my new family, I began my career in the financial services industry. As I look back, I can see the seeds that were planted when I wanted to help my parents secure their financial future and gain a sense of freedom and confidence to do what they desired, according to their life values. Eventually my parents sold the farm to a developer, and I was able to help secure their future with specific tax strategies, income enhancement and an appropriate investment plan.
Since then, my career has been dedicated to bringing solutions to individuals and families that are appropriate for them and their unique set of values and dreams.
Background and Perspective
My biblical and counseling background, as well as my pastoral experience, have enabled me to understand how people think and react to their life circumstances. I can bring insight and care to whatever financial issues they may be facing and help them meet the ever-changing financial environment in accordance with their core beliefs and personal values.
Over the years, I have refined my investment philosophy to something called Asset Class Investing, a structured approach based on the disciplined methodology of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), for which three individuals were awarded the Nobel Prize in economic science in 1990. MPT calls for a systematized structure for investing that provides true diversification and investment models designed to meet the needs of the investor as well as manage risk. This approach became a core component of wealth planning for my practice as it has enabled me to help meet the psychological as well as investment needs of my clients by helping to protect them from major catastrophic events or improper emotional decisions. My involvement with this approach and the academicians who won the Nobel Prize in economic science has provided a wealth of experience, enabling me to construct well-designed investment portfolios for my clients.
Investment Partners
Although I had been on the frontier of modern finance, several years ago I decided to leverage the experience and expertise of Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), an institutional asset management company launched in the 1970s by two graduates of the University of Chicago’s School of Business. DFA maintains strong working relationships with the academic community, including some of the world’s leading financial economists and Nobel Prize laureates.
I have also partnered with Buckingham Strategic Partners for its portfolio development programs and continue to work closely with their investment committee to redefine and enhance our portfolio models. Their team of experts include Nobel Prize winner Harry Markowitz, behavioral finance professor Meir Statman, chairman of the department of finance at Santa Clara University, and their own investment strategists and analysts.
And so, for the last 30 years, I have been committed to helping individuals and families gain security and peace of mind, as well as preserving and growing their wealth.
Personal Life
Because of my personal relationship with Christ, He is at the center of my life. I enjoy waking up and starting every day with Him, making sure that He is at the core of everything I think and do. Our local church involvement is important to us, and I have a passion for ministering to others, whether teaching, counseling or simply helping.
Believing strongly in the importance of the family relationship, my wife Maureen and I love providing fun activities and family vacations for our children since 1980, Jim along with his wife Jessica, Tim and his wife Tori, Melissa and Josh, along with our grandchildren. We also enjoy entertaining friends, clients and colleagues at our home.