My Story

I grew up in a military family and lived all over the world. One of the most impactful experiences was living in West Berlin while the Berlin Wall was still standing. Looking back, that was probably my first real lesson about money, opportunity, and freedom. As a child, I could literally walk across Checkpoint Charlie and see two completely different worlds. On one side, people were building businesses, celebrating life, pursuing opportunities, and creating prosperity. On the other side, there were long lines, shortages, restrictions, and very little economic opportunity. Even as a kid, it made a lasting impression on me how dramatically different people’s lives could be depending on the opportunities available to them.  

I later earned degrees in Finance and Economics, but when I graduated, I realized nobody had really taught us the practical side of money — how to build wealth, make smart financial decisions, understand taxes, or create long-term financial independence. That realization led me toward entrepreneurship.

I’ve been self-employed since I was 25 and have spent more than 25 years building businesses in financial services. I started in the mortgage industry, but from day one, I approached it differently. Rather than simply helping people get loans, I looked at their entire financial picture. Naturally, clients started asking broader questions about insurance, investments, retirement planning, taxes, and wealth-building. What began as helping people buy homes evolved into helping families make better financial decisions across every aspect of their lives.

I’ve always believed that advice should be independent and aligned solely with the client’s interests. I often joke that I’ve never had a boss, but the reality is I’ve had hundreds — which is to say every family my team and I service is my boss. My responsibility is to help them protect what they’ve built and make thoughtful decisions for the future.

Over time, my clients became more successful and their needs more complex. The conversations shifted from investments to tax strategy, estate planning, business succession, philanthropy, and multi-generational wealth planning. I’ve had the privilege of helping entrepreneurs and families through significant liquidity events, including transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars and one that exceeded a billion dollars. Those experiences taught me that managing substantial wealth is about far more than investments — it’s about coordinating every aspect of a family’s financial life.

That evolution is also what led me to AC Family Office. As I thought about the next chapter of my career, I saw tremendous value in surrounding myself with a team of experienced professionals who bring different perspectives, areas of expertise, and ideas to the table.

I’ve always believed that the best decisions come from asking good questions, challenging assumptions, and having people you trust to think through an issue with you. AC Family Office gives me the opportunity to do that while providing clients with the depth and breadth of resources that come from a collaborative team.

On the personal side, my wife, Lisa and I have been married for more than 20 years and have three children. During COVID, we spent a great deal of time traveling the country together, which eventually led us to Colorado where we chose to live and raise the children.

When I look back on my career, the common theme has been continuous growth. As my clients’ lives have become more complex, I’ve continued to evolve alongside them. That’s what still excites me today, helping successful families navigate what’s next, preserve what they’ve built, create opportunities for future generations, and leave a lasting legacy for the people and causes that matter most to them.

Serving as a trusted advisor through those important decisions is both a privilege and what continues to drive me every day. Now I’m building a better book, not a bigger book, with deeper relationships, better advice, and a stronger team around the families I serve.