APMA®, AAMS®
My path into financial services started in a college economics class. What I found there was a genuine fascination with markets, companies, and the way financial decisions ripple through real people's lives. I pursued an internship, and that experience made the direction clear. The markets were compelling, but what kept me was the people. The more I saw how much confusion and uncertainty existed around investing, the more I wanted to be the person who helped change that.
That was 26 years ago. I spent the early part of my career at Banc of America Investments and Merrill Lynch, followed by 16 years at Comerica, where I built the client relationships that shaped how I think about this work today. When I started Coastal Ridge Wealth, I built the practice around the model I had always believed in, working with a select number of clients over long periods of time, with enough space to give each relationship the attention it deserves.
My weeks are organized around conversations. Every morning starts with a thorough review of economic news and market developments, because what's happening in the world shapes every discussion I have with clients throughout the week. And there are a lot of those discussions. Calls, meetings, lunches, and dinners make up a significant part of my schedule, and I prefer it that way. The face-to-face moments are where I do my best work.
One of the most meaningful client relationships I have today started under unlikely circumstances. A mutual friend had asked him to open an account with me, and the reluctance was obvious from the start. I simply told him to give me a fair shot, and if he didn't feel I was bringing real value, we would talk about moving on. That was 12 years ago. Today, he tells the story to anyone who will listen, describing it as the best forced relationship of his life. When I heard him say that, something in it confirmed exactly why I do this work. The portfolios matter, but what actually makes a difference over time is showing up consistently for the people you serve.
Outside of work, I have called San Diego home for 27 years. I moved here after college and never left, and meeting my wife here in my first year made it easy to understand why. We have been married 22 years, have two children in college, and two dogs who join us wherever we go. When I step away from work, I am most often on a golf course with friends or my son, at a great restaurant along the coast, or at a live concert. Travel is a constant in our family, and the belief that you should show up fully for the people and experiences that matter carries directly into how I approach my work.