I came to financial services through the side door. While studying history at California State University, Fullerton, I ran a small business providing tech support to financial planners. That work introduced me to Paul Toohey, and what started as a consulting arrangement turned into a full-time role, then a career, then something I'd describe as a calling. Thirty-three years later, I'm still here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
My title is Manager of Client Services and Operations, but the simplest way to put it is this: Paul figures out what needs to happen, and I make it happen. He brings the strategic vision; I bring the follow-through. Together, we cover a lot of ground, and our clients benefit from both sides of that equation. They know that whether the question is big-picture planning or getting a form processed correctly, someone is on it.
What keeps me engaged, though, isn't the logistics. It's the relationships. I genuinely like people, and over the years I've been lucky enough to build real friendships with many of our clients. I enjoy learning about their lives, their families, their plans. Financial services can feel complicated and impersonal, and I take pride in being the person who makes it feel neither. When clients tell us they feel confident and taken care of, that's the measure I care about most.
Many of our clients have been with us for decades, and seeing their children and grandchildren join the firm is something I find deeply meaningful. That kind of multigenerational trust isn't given lightly, and we don't take it for granted.
I've lived in Orange County nearly my whole life and currently call Garden Grove home, where I live with my wife Lisa and our cockapoo, Jack. Outside of work, I spend my time at the gym, digging into history books, tinkering with technology, and working on home improvement projects. The same instinct that makes me want to understand how things work is, I think, what makes me good at this job.