My first job was as a runner at a brokerage house. It was 1987, the year of the stock market crash. What an eye opener! I knew the ever-changing markets were not only something I found fascinating but also something I could help others navigate. The big learning, which I have shared with clients for 20 years as a financial advisor, is this: "You can't control your environment. You can only control your circumstances."

As I connect with clients and learn about what they value, I can build personalized strategies to help realize their short-, medium- and long-term goals. We talk about today and tomorrow, look at challenges and opportunities, and prepare for good markets and bad. It can be tempting to react to sensational headlines or flock to a hot stock. The benefit of the written financial strategy we create, one built on real-life priorities, is that we have a foundation against which to weigh those impulses and make decisions logically instead of emotionally.

For many investors, important questions like "Will I be able to retire on time?" are stressful conversations. These are, after all, the life goals you've defined for yourself. One of our priorities is to create a calm and welcoming environment so you are at ease to talk about the things that matter most to you. It starts with the beaming smile of Jackie Dipchan, our branch office administrator, and the joyful welcome from my therapy dog, Farrah. As we work together, you'll find I truly enjoy people and will treat you the way I would like to be treated.

I work well with clients who are engaged in the process and want to learn about the choices we make. My practice includes clients in every life stage with varying complexity of needs, from Millennials to retirees.

My wife Shelley and I are avid cyclists, and we actively support local charities, two of our favorites being Tour for Kids, which helps send kids with cancer to camp, and Save Our Scruff, an international canine rescue and rehoming program.