The best sales traders are great at creating synergies as a business evolves. Before William O’Neil Securities, I was Managing Director at The Benchmark Company since 2002, where I helped grow the firm from six employees to over 100. I’ve taken that broad experience along with my knowledge of market movements and securities pricings to add value to my clients.

There is hidden value in tedious tasks. I had a summer internship at a buy-side consumer retail fund, where my sole responsibility was to research malls and stores, analyze customer traffic flow, and write reports based on my findings for portfolio managers. Although it seemed tedious at the time, it gave me insightful knowledge about valuations, developed my attention to detail, and provided me access to top sell-side analysts.

I was attracted to working in the financial markets because I knew it would be a good fit for my personality. I have an aptitude for numbers and analysis and I thrive in a fast-paced environment that constantly challenges you to synthesize a number of pieces of information at the same time.

Economics is the fundamental backdrop that everything in our line of work is based upon. That’s why I studied economics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. To deepen my knowledge, I went on to get my MBA in finance from Fordham University.

Getting a wide variety of experiences gives you perspective. I didn’t always work in finance. My first job out of college was negotiating photography licensing agreements at a stock photography house where I was exposed to the creative industry. Even though it might seem unrelated, decades later, the experience I gained is still relevant in the business we do now—negotiating value, making markets, building relationships.

At a time when research is being commoditized, William O’Neil Securities offers a differentiated approach. As a sales trader, you’re always looking for a way to give your clients an advantage and I know PANARAY™ is going to create a tailwind for my clients.

I adore my family. I met my wife at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1991 and we’ve been together ever since. We have three kids, two daughters and one son.

Forget material goods. It’s the experiences that are priceless. My wife and I have made it a point to travel internationally to provide our kids with the opportunity to experience different cultures. We have been to the Caribbean Islands, Spain, Paris, London, Amsterdam, and more. We loved riding bikes through Amsterdam and are looking forward to our adventures in Rome and Tuscany.

If I wasn’t working in finance, I’d be a coach. I’ve been told that I have a knack for teaching and the patience for it. My kids play soccer, basketball, and baseball and I love serving as a mentor to them and their peers. There’s nothing more rewarding.