Years in secutities industry: 23

I was raised in a close-knit military family that moved and traveled a lot. So I learned to be adaptable and I developed an appreciation for a global mindset.

As a teen, I worked in a fast-food restaurant to save money for college. The seeds of my interest in finance were planted there. The owner worked alongside his employees, and I watched and learned. I was fascinated by his pride of ownership and entrepreneurial spirit.

I graduated from the University of Redlands in southern California with a degree in business. I was also a voracious reader and especially enjoyed reading about Sir John Templeton, Warren Buffett and Lee Iacocca. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a lot written about hostile takeovers, corporate turnarounds and emerging markets. Reading about the importance of leadership and its impact on the direction and ultimate outcome of an organization was fascinating.

The first stock I bought was AT&T. Following the divestiture of the Baby Bells, I ended up owning stock in the spinoffs and was constantly calling my Merrill Lynch advisor about them. My wife Kathy knew I was more interested in what he was doing than in my own job in commercial insurance. She told me about an upcoming Merrill Lynch career night and suggested I attend. I was hired in August 1987 as an advisor in the San Bernardino office. After holding various managerial positions, I assumed my current position in January 2009.

My current role is multi-faceted. We're navigating a difficult economy and I'm helping to lead our wealth management organization through a complex integration with Bank of America. When all else fails, it's important to stick to the facts, not what you think you know. It helps everyone rally.

I'm also focused on the restoration of trust in the industry. The majority of advisors are deeply committed to assisting people with their financial needs, but their efforts have often been overshadowed by the macro challenges of the last couple of years. We need to recognize the importance of their good work and figure out more ways to share their contributions with the public.

In my free time I'm a sports junkie. I used to run marathons, but the past few years, I've followed my children's sports instead. I've watched my son play football and my oldest daughter swim. My youngest daughter plays volleyball for Carnegie Mellon.

I also enjoy splitting wood. It's a great time for thinking and also relieves stress. I get satisfaction from starting with a pile of wood in the morning which is all split hours later. Not much of life is that uncomplicated.

As told to Pat Olsen.