Scholarship Spotlights

In what ways do you believe your Hispanic heritage contributes to your perspective on your profession and client relations? 
My grandparents on my mother’s side of the family were farmers in the Chino Valley in Southern California, and my father started his own trucking company, so I certainly come from a family with an entrepreneurial mindset. But although both were successful for many years, eventually they also went through financial hardship. Seeing and experiencing this drove home a desire in me to help others, as I recognized that generating wealth can seem like the easy part, but holding on to it is not always so easy, especially for those who may be great business owners but are challenged when it comes to the investment part of the equation. 

You are a scholarship recipient at the Investments & Wealth Institute. How has receiving this scholarship impacted your career goals? 
Receiving the scholarship came at a time when I was at a “fork in the road” and not long after I had completed my MBA at the USC Marshall School. I had been in institutional asset management for about 12 years when I began to question whether I wanted to remain in the industry. 

Early in my career, I was asked if I wanted to join an advisory team. At the time, I didn’t, simply because I did not feel I had the knowledge and experience to connect with clients and be authentic in developing a relationship. But after 12 years, I did know that it was a transition I was now prepared to make. Although there were certainly many doors closed along the way, having been awarded a scholarship allowed me to begin my pivot into the wealth management side of the industry by obtaining the CIMA® certification and later the CPWA®. It has certainly broadened my skill set and given me new confidence to continue in this industry. 

How do you celebrate your Hispanic heritage in your professional life? 
Growing up, I never really thought about my Hispanic heritage, and although I took Spanish in high school, I didn’t really learn the language until I traveled after college. My first trip abroad was to Spain, and later, that’s how I met my wife while scuba diving in Colombia. It’s something I like to talk about. Through my wife’s family, we also own a coffee farm in Colombia, and it’s something I hope to share with colleagues and clients in the future. I’m also fortunate to have an employer that celebrates its Southern California roots and the Hispanic influences of its workforce.