Benjamin L. Brigeman
Executive Vice President, Schwab Investor Services
Years in Securities Business: 4 (and 22 In The Institutional Trust Business)

I grew up in a suburb of Akron, Ohio, and attended a Christian school. My parents wanted to instill their strong faith and values in my siblings and me.

I started collecting coins at age 7, which was my introduction to investing. Whenever I had money, I'd buy a coin at the local coin shop. Once my father came with me. I had my eye on an 1822 penny that wasn't worth much, and he tried to talk me out of buying it. He said, "You're looking to invest for quality, not aesthetics." I didn't listen, but that lesson stayed with me.

In 1984, after graduating from the University of Akron, I got a job in Cleveland as an analyst at AmeriTrust. The company was involved in wealth investing for individuals and in trusts for institutions. Two events shaped my career there. First, it was the advent of the 401(k) industry. Second, the company purchased its first personal computer. I learned as much as I could about computers. I did all the programming and designed the spreadsheets, and within a year became the supervisor of the 401(k) department. At 23, I was managing people much older than me who knew a lot more than I did about the institutional trust business.

I quickly learned about servant leadership, that I should be a facilitator who made them more efficient and then get out of the way. If I were to do anything differently in my career, I would have involved others earlier and done less myself initially.

AmeriTrust was acquired by Society Bank, which then merged with Key Bank. Our department and my responsibilities grew. I worked primarily with corporate institutions, educating them on the benefits of 401(k)s for plan sponsors and individual investors. I learned a lesson by watching the head of my department and his counterpart at Key Bank during the merger. Jim McGuire, my boss, didn't worry about the outcome. He made sure his employees and their clients were kept informed at all times. His counterpart, on the other hand, spent his time trying to save his job. As a result, our clients thought the merger was no big deal and they understood the rationale. That was not the case on the Key Bank side, and after the merger I received calls from several people who weren't happy. I learned how leaders are best served by looking out for their clients and employees.

I would tell advisors facing a merger not to be too anxious. The outcome will be what it will. If they focus on clients, help fellow employees and keep communication open, they'll be much more satisfied. The merger I experienced was particularly difficult because of the timing. My wife and I had just had twins, one of whom was born with a heart defect. The doctor gave us three choices: Take Nicholas home, which meant he would pass away peacefully in a few days; try for a heart transplant, although the odds of success were not good; or try experimental surgery.

We opted for the experimental surgery. For six months I commuted between the hospital in Michigan and my job in Cleveland. Nicholas is now 16. He still has health issues, but he's one of the biggest joys of my life, along with my four other children.

Two years ago I took my oldest son Scott on a business trip to Schwab headquarters in San Francisco that we combined with a college visit to Stanford. I thought Chuck Schwab might say hello to both of us, but he took Scott into his office and talked to him alone. Those 15 minutes were some of the most nerve-wracking of my life. I thought: "This could be an opportunity or the end of my career." But the two of them walked out laughing. My palms may have been sweating, but Scott was as fresh as a daisy.

As told to Pat Olsen