Years in Securities Business: 23

I was born in Brookline, Mass., andgrew up outside of Boston. My first job, at 13, was on Cape Cod, cleaning the beaches every morning. I learned that time and tide literally wait for no man. There are always going to be forces in life beyond your control; you need to show up to work every day and do your best to stay ahead of them.

I was interested in financial services from a young age. My father had been in community banking for more than 60 years and showed me the positive force that financial firms can play in people's lives.

In 1986, I graduated from Boston College and entered a training program at Fidelity Investments. For the majority of my 17 years there, I supported either financial advisors or the advice business.

In 1989, I helped launched an early mutual-fund wrap program. I was also involved in starting Fidelity's Personal Trust company. I left for Merrill Lynch for a year but Fidelity recruited me back. Then, in 2004, LPL Financial recruited me as senior vice president of advisory sales and marketing, and I was promoted to my current position in 2006.

LPL was already an industry leader when I joined. My first challenge was to develop a platform that would provide greater practice management efficiency so advisors could spend less time on routine tasks and more time with clients. After talking with our advisors, we developed a customized program with an open architecture, centrally balanced platform. The key takeaway for me was that overcoming a challenge starts with being a good listener.

More has happened in the last few years in our industry than has occurred in the past two decades in most industries. I recommend that advisors embrace change and make the most of it. Technology has become the great equalizer for independents to gain access to products and programs. It's an open architecture world and, as a result, the pendulum has shifted toward independent advisors.

I joined LPL Financial because I believe the mass affluent and middle class need access to sound, unbiased financial advice, and I'm proud that I've helped play a role in building the company.

In my free time I enjoy mountain biking and since relocating from San Francisco to San Diego to join LPL, I've been doing more of it. It's a great way to get away from work, and to think without any distractions.

As Told to Pat Olsen