Financial Advisor
Major investment firm, Peoria
Joe's mother is also an Illinois State graduate; and Joe, his cousin from East St. Louis, and a friend from his Louisiana hometown all graduated from ISU on the same day.
He is pictured at his Peoria office.
Area of Finance specialization: Investments and Portfolio Management
Hometown: Monroe, Louisiana
ECO 105 Principles of Economics. That class truly opened my eyes to the bigger picture of the financial markets, and talking with the graduate assistant about investing sparked my interest in stocks. It was fascinating to see how the economy works, and how interest rates can affect everything from banking to economic growth and the dollar's purchasing power.
Serving as dining services chair for the Association of Residence Halls. We were liaisons between the student body and the campus administration. I enjoyed representing students, voicing their concerns, in a process where we made decisions that affected their daily lives. I met a lot of outstanding people, enhanced my leadership skills, and got to interact with administrators, including ISU's president. It was a great educational experience.
A lot of my job involves understanding the numbers. I have the Series 7, 31, and 66 licenses, so I advise clients on a range of investment products. As a financial advisor you have to look to the future, and think outside the box, so you can draw conclusions from the information you have on the business climate and the overall economy. Of course, the information you have is never as complete as you'd like it to be; it's not a perfect world. I got a better grasp of both the big picture and the meaning of the numbers through my intermediate business finance and advanced financial theory courses. Accounting also was great for understanding the numbers, and it taught me that not everything is given when you need to make a decision, so you have to work with what is available, and think and analyze effectively.
The program is exceptional, with a dynamic learning atmosphere and a strong faculty. The people who teach the finance courses bring diverse experiences and perspectives, including professional experience in the financial world, that help students see things from different angles and learn about how the markets work.
