As a financial advisor for the past 29+ years, Steve has pulled together his diverse experience as an entrepreneur, IT consultant, and worldwide management consultant to provide piercing insight for his clients.
“My consulting background has enabled me to sit down with an individual client who may not have any idea where to start on their financial journey. Through a series of questions, I help them frame the issues and together we develop the path forward.”
Steve graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in accounting. He also took a minor concentration’s worth of credits in computer science. He spent four years with the company now known as Accenture before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey by cofounding a computer and software consulting company. After that, he spent a year and a half as CIO of a $90 million property management company. Soon he realized he couldn’t deny his entrepreneurial nature and left to start his financial planning practice.
“I work with intelligent and driven people who just don’t have the time to sit down and make sure they are making smart financial decisions. They want to be held accountable and my partnership with them enables them to have the information they need to make the right decisions and to implement those decisions.”
Steve has served on several nonprofit and industry boards of directors. These include serving as chairman of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, treasurer of the National Capital Gift Planning Council, and president of the Northern Virginia Estate Planning Council. He also Chaired the National Capital Gift Planning Council’s annual conference, “Planned Giving Days.”
Currently he is regional vice president of Woodbury Financial Services (in addition to his financial planning practice.) As RVP he supports Woodbury financial representatives in Maryland, Delaware, Washington DC, and Virginia.
He met his wife Mary when they were both students at Georgetown University and they celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary earlier this year. Their son Michael and daughter-in-law MaryElla live nearby in Herndon with Steve and Mary’s granddaughter Vivian. Their daughter Megan lives in Arlington, Virginia and is a successful digital marketing expert with her own firm.
Steve’s community involvement includes leading retreats for his church’s teen youth group including developing the curriculum. He has been a high school basketball referee since 1981 and he sometimes is joined on the court with his son Mike who is also a referee in the Northern Virginia area.
A lifelong learner, Steve has earned designations as a Certified Financial Planning Practitioner (CFP), a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and a Certified Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP). “In addition to completing continuing education for my professional designations I am part of a coaching program which meets for a full day once per quarter. We have 40 entrepreneurs in a room going through a guided series of topics developing tools to continue to serve our clients and having fun while learning from each other.”
Steve is fully licensed to serve as a financial advisor to his clients and community but the most important to him is that of the formal title of Investment Advisor Representative.
“When a person takes on the title of Investment Advisor Representative, that professional is required to act with a fiduciary duty when it comes to his or her clients. Simply stated, as a fiduciary I must put the interests of my clients ahead of my own.”
Steve enjoys the opportunity to speak in front of groups, whether it be “lunch and learns”, continuing education for fellow professionals, or in front of larger groups talking about important topics of the day.