What we now know as Veterans Day was first celebrated in 1919 as Armistice Day. Initially a commemoration of the first anniversary of World War I’s end, the holiday expanded its reach in 1954 to celebrate all veterans who have served honorably in the U.S. military both in times of war and peace.
Approximately 15.7 million veterans of the U.S. military are living in the United States, almost 6% of the adult U.S. population. Military veterans represent about 4.9% of the country’s civilian labor force. There is a direct correlation between the stability enabled by the sacrifices of our military personnel and our nation’s ongoing prosperity, capacity for innovation and economic resiliency. It is no surprise that many traits found in those drawn to the military — including discipline, a service mentality and protecting the well‑being of others — translate well to the wealth management industry.
WSR spoke with former military service members who now call the independent wealth management arena home. Each of our contributors enjoys success in their current profession. We wanted to learn more about how their time in the military helped shape their efforts in our industry.
We thank them, and all U.S. military veterans, for their service and are grateful for their responses to our question:
How has your service experience in the U.S. military translated into service success in wealth management?
Nate Oltmans, CEO Of Cornerstone Wealth Management, An Affiliate Of SFA Partners
Flying B‑52s taught me that you can’t control every variable, but you can prepare well, stay calm and make good decisions when the stakes are high. Wealth management is no different. Markets are uncertain, and life rarely goes as planned, even if decisions rarely require the same urgency. My job today is to prepare thoroughly, bring perspective to turbulence and help people make informed decisions. Mission success used to mean making the right thing explode. Now, it means preventing it.
Brandt Burns, CEO, Mountain Capital Investment Advisors, An Affiliate Of Trilogy Capital
My time serving in the Marine Corps taught me that leadership is earned, trust is built, and service to others comes before self. Those principles became the foundation of Mountain Capital and our approach to wealth management. Success isn’t measured solely by assets managed or individual accomplishments, but by the people you develop, the trust you earn, and the lives you impact. The Marine Corps taught me to lead with humility, embrace accountability, and never forget that the mission is people.
Mitch Swan, Financial Advisor, Sowell Management
While serving in the Marines, I learned the dominant contributors for personal transformation are opportunity, training and discipline. These three elements alone transform unsettled teenagers into confident, purposeful soldiers, sailors and Marines. Recruiters provide enlistment opportunities, and seasoned “boot camp” instructors cultivate the enlistee’s education and discipline — a mentoring process for professional success. This is not unlike my role as a financial advisor, providing the opportunity, education and budget discipline needed for average Americans to succeed in wealth management, achieving a financial transformation once unimaginable to them.
Josh Strange, Founder And President Of Good Life Financial Advisors Of NOVA
I can trace my career in wealth management back to a personal finance briefing in Air Force tech school. That’s where I learned about Roth IRAs and compound interest. I started investing at 19 and became passionate about showing others what starting early could do for them.
Military service also put me alongside people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives. That experience taught me to understand someone’s situation before offering advice, which is central to what I do today. My familiarity with veterans’ benefits has been valuable, too.
But the biggest connection is simple: Without that briefing, I might never have discovered this career.
Tim Thornberry, Financial Planner, Prudential Wealth Advisors, Founding Partner Of Cornerstone Financial Partners
Marine Corps servant leadership is older than the phrase. In 1920, Commandant Lejeune’s order set the relationship between leaders and their Marines: teaching them and guarding their welfare. That is how Cornerstone was built. My job is to serve the team; the team’s job is the client. When a family arrives with real complexity or a hard season, a death, a generational business transition, they are served by a team built for the weight.
Jon Connell, Managing Director, Seven Bridges Wealth Advisors
My service taught me to plan for contingencies, communicate clearly under pressure, and own outcomes for the people entrusted to me. Wealth management demands the same. I stay disciplined, I stay calm in volatile markets, and I’m accountable to the families who depend on me. The mission set changed; the standards haven’t.
Wealth Solutions Report can be reached at info@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
