I am using this blog to announce some exciting news. Sean Lovison is joining the firm. I have known Sean for about a year and am excited that he has decided to sign on. Sean is based in Moorestown, in southern New Jersey. Here he introduces himself and talks about why he chose this path.
Financial planning and economics are my passions. Using math and logic to help achieve future goals brings me joy. It always has.
I grew up in Center City Philadelphia surrounded by both vast amounts of wealth and abject poverty. I witnessed firsthand how lack of access to financial knowledge and resources, compounded by poor personal financial decisions, reduce the quality of life and defeat hope. I also saw how smart financial decisions can lead to financial wellness and create an unmatched sense of well-being, security, and pride. One neighbor from my childhood has been a great source of inspiration for me. He achieved financial independence in his mid-forties and spent most of his time sailing or at the swim club. I thought to myself, if he could do it, there must be a way for all of us.
At the University of Delaware, I completed my Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Economics and Finance. I then earned a Master of Science in Finance from Temple University while working full time. In 2005, in order to progress my career in corporate finance, I became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). However, my interest in financial planning persisted, and I completed a graduate certificate program in financial planning in 2010 from Kansas State University.
Ever since then, I have been looking for a way to transition from my role as a corporate CFO, a position I occupied from 2008 to 2020, into personal financial planning. After networking and having discussions with different firms, I met Bill. We discussed his vision for the planning profession. I realized that his goal for WJL Financial of increasing the availability of professional financial management to more people aligned with what I was seeking to do—help as many people as possible meet their financial goals.
It is my belief, and that of WJL Financial Advisors, that financial planning can help everyone achieve what my neighbor did. I also believe that financial planning assistance should be accessible to a wider range of individuals and families than it currently is. Roth IRAs, 401Ks, 529s, mutual funds, life insurance, and the like should not be intimidating or mysterious to the broader population. These are the tools we all need to achieve our most important financial goals, such as funding our children’s education and retiring with the quality of life we want.
When not helping businesses and individuals achieve their financial goals or spending time with family, I enjoy hiking, camping, mountain biking, CrossFit, the occasional triathlon, reading, and cooking.