When Amy Cady and her family first moved to Bartlesville, it was a transitional time in her life. Fast forward to now, and she’s the Managing Director – Investments of Cady Wealth Management of Wells Fargo Advisors. She was recently recognized on the 2021 Best-in-State Wealth Adviser list by Forbes.
Cady (Business Administration, ’07) came to OKWU with unique educational needs. She’d spent two years studying at Tulsa Community College but had taken a break when she and her husband had married and started a family. When they made the move to Bartlesville, Cady knew it was time to get back in the workforce, so she took a job at Arvest Bank. She’d studied finance at TCC, and the job fit her skillsets well.
“I liked the stock brokerage side of things because it was new and different, and it wasn’t the same situation over and over again like you tend to have in banking,” she said.
But to pursue this path, Cady needed two things: a professional certification and to continue her education.
“You had to study and get a what they call a series seven license,” she said. “So I studied for that and got that license. And then the next step was the Certified Financial Planner designation… that’s a two-year study program. And one of the requirements of that CFP program was having a four-year degree. I didn’t have that, so I needed to finish that in order to get the designation.”
There were some initial hesitations about returning to college, though. “As an adult that was working, with a young child at home and then another child at home, I thought it was going to be really hard to go back to school,” she said.
For Cady, OKWU’s programs offered the benefit of flexibility. She was already focused on her studies due to her work certification requirements, so she motored through the classwork at OKWU, enjoying the camaraderie that her cohort allowed her. “I enjoyed it… our cohort group was maybe 13 people,” she said. “They were all of them working professionals, like me, so it was fun.”
“There’s a growing number of women advisors today, but in the past, it wasn’t as common. So many of the stockbroker-type people were men. And I kind of got in right on the ground floor as that industry was changing.”
BEst of the Best
Cady’s day to day job with Wells Fargo Advisors might sound simple on paper, but the relational component is often the most important part. “I meet with clients and help them with their retirement goals,” she said. “Mostly, my day is comprised of sitting down or having phone meetings or in-person meetings with those people to ensure that they’re staying on track and that their spending isn’t out of control, or make sure that their money lasts during their retirement.”
The work is about making connections, and Cady is quick to point out that this is her favorite part of the job.
“The most rewarding part of the job is sitting down with clients and getting to actually hear updates on their families: new grandbabies, new children or grandchildren,” she said. “[We’re] making sure that they’re meeting their goals and expectations in retirement and that they’re getting the income that they need in order to travel and do all of the things in retirement that they hope to do.”
This year is the second time Cady Wealth Management has been honored on the Forbes’ List of Best In-State Wealth Advisors. “The Forbes’ honor is always exciting,” Cady said. “It’s probably the most exciting because it’s a competition between you and your peers.”
In addition to the in-state advisor list, Cady was also listed on Forbes’ compilation of Top Women Advisors, something she says is an extra-special honor.
“That was another great list to be included on. There’s a growing number of women advisors* today, but in the past, it wasn’t as common,” she said. “So many of the stockbroker-type people were men. And I kind of got in right on the ground floor as that industry was changing.”
Cady lives in Owasso with her husband, Mitchell—also a graduate of OKWU. They have two children—Courtney and Tyler, both of whom are studying or have studied finance in college.
Overall, Cady is grateful to be in the market she’s in, and looking forward to the next ten years of growth and change. She’s quick to recommend OKWU’s programs to any other working adults looking to further their education.
“The program [at OKWU] is great. The support is really wonderful, and it’s nice knowing that you can drive this short distance to get in front of someone if you do need to speak with [them],” she said. “And I did learn a lot… At first, I really felt like it might just be generic information, but we really applied it to everyday activities that I found very useful in my career.”
* The Forbes Best-in-State and Top Women Advisors ranking algorithm is based on industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. Investment performance is not a criterion.
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