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Jeff’s Backstory:  I am a graduate of Indiana University, where I received a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Business.  Throughout my working life, I have always viewed situations as 3-dimensional puzzles.  It has been my job to disassemble the pieces, view them from all sides and work with the stakeholders of the situation to reassemble the pieces in a way that makes more sense or improves their situation.   I started my career in Executive Recruitment and entered the Financial Services industry in 1994, as the recruiter for a startup stock trading firm in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The firm gained momentum quickly and I realized that I preferred the firm’s market-driven aspects to the recruitment side.  Together with a partner, I acquired, ran and sold the firm.  I then returned to Chicago as VP of a national online trading firm.  After the changes in the online trading industry caused by the events of 9/11/01, I turned my focus to individual money management.  My brother, Mike and I had parallel careers and always wanted to work together; but ,my location in Chicago made this challenging.  In 2008, an opportunity arose for me to join Mike’s group, adding coverage in Northwest Indiana and Suburban Chicago.  Although I lives in Evanston, Illinois, I love working in NW Indiana and take the commute in stride.  I added a Skokie, IL office in 2015 and have established myself in Merrillville over the past decade.

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Personal Interests and Motivators:  

Family, Music, Vintage Watches

 

Family.  Nancy and the kids have always been my respite at the end of a challenging day.  Now that my children have “left the nest”, we still speak multiple times each day and see each other often.  We see or speak with our extended family in Indianapolis and around the country as life events, travel and proximity create opportunities.  My family doesn’t visit, as much as they descend upon whatever location provides an opportunity for interaction.  As our generation has become the adults to whom the younger ones turn for advice, I am constantly gratified for the examples, guidance and love that came from the generations before.  

 

Music.    Throughout my life, music has been my constant companion.  My uncle gave me a harmonica when I was 10.  Over the years, I have continued to play and have added to my “harp” collection, but  to this day, because of its origin, that first harmonica is my favorite.  For better or worse, I have been known to fish a harp out of my pocket and spontaneously join musicians on state to add some harmonies to their music.  

Vintage Watches.   I like old watches.  I like the craftsmanship, style from bygone eras and, the stories these timepieces tell.  Some are collectable, some are just great to wear.