Fresh out of UCLA, my first job after college was as a management trainee at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I quickly realized it was fundamentally a sales role, which held little appeal for someone with no interest in persuading people to buy things they didn’t need.
After a few weeks, I discovered what truly motivated me: listening closely to understand what a person really needed and then helping solve for it. That lesson has guided my career ever since.
This instinct led me to opportunities where I could help people tackle bigger financial challenges. I began by assisting clients with home financing and refinancing at Countrywide, then deepened my expertise in financial planning and portfolio construction at Merrill Lynch.
In 2008, I found my professional home at SoCal Wealth Management, where I spent nearly two decades guiding credit union members through every stage of their financial lives. That experience became the foundation for Pacific Summit Wealth Advisors.
My focus is retirement planning, with particular depth in the retirement plans of McMaster-Carr employees. I help clients grow their savings while they are working and then convert those savings into sustainable income once paychecks stop. Before I recommend anything, I want to understand where you are headed. Our first meeting is dedicated to me asking questions and listening — and I never charge to build the initial plan that comes out of it.
I live in Irvine with my wife Melissa, our two children Emma and Evan, and our two Sheepadoodles, Sally and Chloe. Most evenings and weekends you’ll find me coaching Evan’s baseball team or Emma’s basketball squad. On Wednesdays, I still lace up for men’s softball. Melissa and I are lifelong UCLA fans with season football tickets to prove it. When we can get away, we head out in our travel trailer toward Zion or Paso Robles, often with a vineyard or two on the itinerary.
Credentials:
- Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®)