Those early lessons in compounding interest really sank in “when I got to high school and realized how much more money I had than my peers did!” It was knowledge she wanted to share with others, which she set out to do. The high-school student got a job at a local Credit Union, “to gain some real-life experience. During this time, it became clear that I would pursue a career as a financial advisor.”
She went on to “focus all of my college education and certification work on learning how to make my money continue to grow and ultimately, how to help others do the same.” This started with pursuing a bachelor’s degree, majoring in Personal Financial Planning, at Western Michigan University and an internship at a wealth management firm that would eventually hire her as a financial advisor trainee.
“I was always meant to be in this industry,” Kelly insists. “I get to teach and help people manage their wealth in the way I always dreamt I would, and it’s been incredibly fulfilling.”
LIFE-LONG LEARNER
A strong believer in the power of education, Kelly earned an MBA from Northwood University’s Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management and a doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Baker College of Flint. In addition, she’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™), a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®), a Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) and a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA).
But much more than knowing the numbers, Kelly can relate to people of all walks of life, connecting with them on a deeper level through genuine conversations, a skill she honed as a waitress in high school and college. “It forced me to have conversations with patrons, who I’d learn so much from,” says Kelly, who understands the importance of seeing things through multiple lenses. “The solution is always better than if I were to have addressed the problem alone.”
GIVING—AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE
She takes this approach with not only her clients but the community at large, finding joy in giving back through service. She sits on the boards of the Frankenmuth Noon Rotary, the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce, the Great Lakes Bay Economic Club, The Saginaw Club and the Association of Professional Investment Consultants (APIC). She is an advisory board member of the Scott L. Carmona College of Business at Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), an executive council member of SVSU’s Stevens Center for Family Business and a board sustaining advisor of The Junior League of the Great Lakes Bay Region. In addition, she has volunteered for the Mustard Seed Shelter in Saginaw, an organization that is “dramatically changing the lives of women and children in need,” she says.
Now that she serves on multiple boards and gives back to numerous organizations alongside her husband, an unconditional advocate, and four children, she feels “incredibly fulfilled.” She leads by example, as her parents did, with a strong work ethic and a commitment to serving others.
