Everyone has someone they were inspired by. For Stanley Funches, president and financial advisor of Alabama-based INTELUS Wealth Management, that person was his investment professor at Tulane University.
“He was outstanding,” he says. “He just inspired me to get into the field of investing. I always wondered when I was younger, why some people had money and some people didn't. The investment classes taught me how money makes money for you.”
Because of those classes, he decided to pursue financial planning. “When I think about my parents, my aunts and uncles, all this information would have been great [for them] so I wanted to provide that for a lot more people out there.”
After being in the industry for the last twenty-six years, he credits watching clients’ net growth grow from nothing to 7 or 8 figure range of net worth has been the most rewarding thing.
“We've been on this journey together and do good financial decision making. That is the most rewarding,” he said. “Through the working and saving, they can pass something on to other generations and live a comfortable life today. I've worked with people as they have sent kids to college and their kids are young adults now.
To me, that's the best thing. When I can sit down and talk to them, and know that they have a peace of mind, from a money standpoint.”
Funches’ approach to working with business owners as a strategic partner, along with his commitment to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions is one of the several reasons he’s being recognized as an InvestmentNews Awards 2024 Excellence Awardee. The winners will be announced on June 20 at 583 Park Avenue, New York City in a glitzy, red carpet ceremony. Click here to register to attend.
Funches is also a man of many talents, who’s an Amazon best-selling author and a podcast host. His book "The Quest for Financial Independence: 10 Areas of Your Planning You Should Not Ignore," has served as a comprehensive guide for individuals seeking to navigate the complexities of financial planning with confidence and clarity.
His podcast "Dads 'N Dollars," aims to provide practical financial advice and insights for young adults.
“I want to be a catalyst for change in the industry,” Funches said. “As the demographics change and more people who have traditionally been underserved are now having access to good quality financial planning, I want to be a catalyst for that advisor group to grow so clients can have people who look like them serve them.”
Also, Orion has added BlackRock, Fidelity, and Vanguard to its custom portfolios suite, and RedBlack has set up a new headquarters after crossing a trillion-dollar milestone.
Also, New York-based Legacy Edge Advisors names its first-ever CEO, while Novare Capital Management hires a Vanguard veteran with a multigenerational planning focus.
Asset managers are racing to bring private market products to retirement plans, but cost and liquidity concerns linger.
Treasury's latest tax-exemption crackdown on private schools lands in the wake of a separate push to restrict refundable credits for some immigrant filers.
Workforce trust measures predicted which companies came out ahead during COVID-19. The same dynamic may now be playing out across the AI transition — and the data suggests the spread could be just as wide.
Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains
Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income
