By the time he was 14 years old Ed had socked away his first $1,000 in a savings account, from odd jobs that paid about $2.25 an hour. He still appreciates the simplicity and satisfaction of manual labor, like splitting and stacking wood, where effort applied translates to immediate results. If only investing were so easy.

After serving four years as a United States Army Infantry officer, Ed began his financial services career in Seattle in 1991, becoming insurance licensed that year. In 1993 he passed Series 7 Securities (or stock broker’s) licensing exams and then spent the next three years completing the coursework to become a Certified Financial Planner™ earning the CFP designation in 1996 after passing the national board certification exams. A retirement and asset management specialist, Ed works extensively with retired people and those planning their transition to retirement.

Ed channels his insatiable curiosity into diligent and ongoing research, to develop a detailed comprehension of complex topics. He has a passion for translating those concepts into simple terms for laypeople to understand. Ed currently teaches investing and financial planning for Montana State Extended University and has also taught for the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems for public employees and the Experimental College at the University of Washington.

Ed holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Vermont. Having spent seven years living in Europe and Latin America, he is fluent in both German and Spanish. He has been active in the soccer and ice hockey communities as an athlete, board member and youth coach. The best thing he’s done for himself is marry his wife of more than 25 years with whom he’s raised two wonderful daughters. They live in Bozeman where they enjoy exploring Montana’s wild places under backpacks, in a canoe or raft and with fly rod in hand.