My Career Journey

I grew up in Pittsburgh and graduated from high school with two things: a strong work ethic and a serious drive to see the world. So, I joined the U.S. Air Force. That decision kicked off a career path that’s been anything but boring and gave me the kind of structure and discipline that still shapes how I work today.

In the Air Force, I was trained in logistics, accounting, and inventory management. My first assignment was with F-16 war readiness kits at Homestead Air Force Base in Miami. My primary role was making sure our kits were mission-ready. I ended up overhauling how those kits were organized, which earned me a temporary duty assignment in Norway. From there, I was stationed in Germany, where I worked on both logistics and security. Along the way, I picked up a deep appreciation for systems.

After leaving the military, I transitioned into the financial sector. I started off in insurance and investments with MetLife, focusing on helping military families in the UK. It was a crash course in client service and building trust, skills that would serve me well later on. But I knew I wanted a bigger foundation, so I came back stateside and went to the University of Pittsburgh, where I earned a degree in history with a minor in geology. (Because why not?)

With my degree in hand, I re-entered the financial world, this time with a focus on investment consulting. I worked at TIAA-CREF, helping educators and nonprofit employees plan for retirement.

I still had a travel bug and was not digging working for a large business. So, I hit the pause button on my career and spent a few months traveling through France, Italy and Spain. Life has a way of offering unexpected turns that often become life’s highlights. While traveling through the picturesque Cinque Terre in Italy, I met the woman who would become my wife. What started as a chance encounter evolved into a partnership that would change everything.

When I returned from my career pause, I moved to Maryland from Denver to be with the woman (my wife today) I met in Italy. I kick-started my career again and joined GEBA, where I advised federal employees and intelligence professionals on long-term financial strategies. This role gave me a deep understanding of personal finance, compliance, and the emotional side of money, what drives financial decisions.

We were both itching to see more of the world. So, after getting married, we decided to take the ultimate leap for our honeymoon, putting our careers on pause (again) to backpack around the world for an entire year. We circumnavigated the globe in one continuous adventure, immersing ourselves in 20 different countries and cultures. This experience fundamentally transformed my worldview and approach to both life and work in ways I’m still discovering.

When we returned from our travels, I started my studies to earn my CFP® designation. I no sooner earned my designation and our first of three sons was born. I cut my teeth as a para-planner for a few years. Eventually, I took on the role as a full-time advisor with a local wealth management firm and found that I had a knack for portfolio construction.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak, so I eventually broke out on my own and launched Becker Advisory Services. I built portfolios from scratch, created my own investment strategies, and learned how to grow a business, both online and offline. I designed my website, wrote a regular blog, and developed client processes that were scalable, transparent, and focused on results. At its peak, the firm managed a $25 million portfolio.

Eventually, I merged my firm into Lighthouse Wealth Management, where I became a partner and took on multiple roles, leading the investment committee, overseeing equity research, portfolio construction, and helping streamline the firm’s operations. At its peak, I was at the helm of over half a billion in assets. I was the go-to guy for everything from equity research, trading processes, portfolio construction, to systems integration.

When Lighthouse was acquired, I stayed on to help manage the post-merger transition. That meant tech stack migration, client onboarding, compliance coordination, you name it. I made sure nothing fell through the cracks. Once the dust settled, I stepped back and took a long look at what I wanted to do next.

That brings me to Becker & Ledger.

That’s the journey. And I’m just getting started.