David Fisher, managing director of investments at Benjamin F. Edwards:
Each phase of my education and career has filled an important role in my life. I grew up near Chicago and had always been interested in math and science. So I studied engineering at Iowa State University, and later focused on nuclear energy because its such a technologically advanced field.
After finishing my masters degree, I worked in a nuclear power station. I enjoyed the work immensely, but the job required long and irregular hours. It was not particularly conducive to family life. So I decided to do something different.
Over the years, I had managed a trust fund for a family I was close with. I gained experience managing this trust and felt pretty good about it. So I decided to get an MBA at the University of Chicago at night.
I graduated in 1989 and went into corporate finance for a Fortune 500 company before moving into the brokerage business. That time I spent in corporate finance ended up being a major plus for when I moved into the brokerage business, since our work was to identify good investment opportunities for the company.
As time went on, I wanted to have a more direct and positive impact on the lives of individuals. I also wanted to be compensated more directly for the effort I made in my work.
The brokerage world was a perfect opportunity to combine those two goals. I began my career at A.G. Edwards in 1998, and stayed with the firm through its mergers with Wachovia and later Wells Fargo.
In 2010 I joined Benjamin F. Edwards because I was entering what I felt what would be my most effective and productive years. I wanted to be in a place where my clients would be best served, and where the firm would give me the freedom to serve them as I see best. My clients and I have been thrilled with the transition.
As an advisor, I have found it greatly satisfying to help families plan for the higher education of their children and grandchildren. And Ive helped clients make meaningful gifts to their alma maters. We figure out how we can help the client make that gift, protect that financial legacy, and do that in an optimal way for the clients portfolio.
I love working for people and doing good things for them. Everything I do as an advisor is about serving my clients. Theyre good people with good goals and I take that responsibility seriously. And that energizes me. More than anything else, that keeps me in the business.
Image: David Fisher, managing director of investments at Benjamin F. Edwards.
As told to Andrew Welsch.
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