David Smith, CIMA® & CFP®
Senior Financial Advisor, Chief Investment Officer, Manager
WHY I BECAME A FINANCIAL ADVISOR
I grew up in Northeast Ohio during the Rust Belt recessions of the '70s and '80s. It was a tough time and almost everyone I knew was affected financially. My family (a single-parent household) struggled with having enough money and my mom often worried about paying for groceries and medicine. After seeing the strain on her and everyone around me, I vowed to go to college, get a good job, and save to avoid the same fate.
After working hard to pay for and graduate college, I became interested in learning more about investing. I bought books about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. It didn’t take long before I developed a passion for investing which ultimately led me to a career in asset management, and eventually, as a financial advisor. I now use my experience and knowledge gained over the past 30 years to positively impact the lives of my clients. It’s a privilege that clients open the doors to their lives with me. It’s an incredibly satisfying job - and I get to help my mom with her financial planning. :)
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ME
1. I am a Bearcat and fervent supporter of my alma mater, the University of Cincinnati.
2. My wife, Wendi, and I enjoy a nice glass of wine on the porch when the weather is nice.
3. I grew up in Cleveland and am a loyal supporter of the Browns, Indians, and Cavs (painful, I know).
4. I have been a vegetarian for years (vegan for three) but acknowledge vegan french fries are probably not that healthy.
5. I love sports (basketball and skiing), but my best skiing technique is on display when I head to the hot tub.
PROFESSIONAL BIO
David Smith is a Senior Financial Advisor and the firm’s Chief Investment Officer. He has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds the highly respected Certified Investment Management Analyst™ and Certified Financial Planner™ designations; he is a Manager of the firm. David is also a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the Investments & Wealth Institute (IWI). Before joining RSWA, David served as Managing Director at BlackRock, one of the world’s premier global asset and risk management firms. Prior to that, he worked with investment advisors and high net worth individuals at Fidelity Investments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati.
PERSONAL BIO
David and his wife, Wendi, live in the wonderful community of Kensington, N.H. The father of three boys, he has spent many years coaching, refereeing, or serving on the boards of organizations in which they participated. Now that his boys are getting older, he is enjoying helping them with high school and college as well as planning the next family get together or vacation.