About YourValues
Wealth Counsel

Independent Wealth Counsel, Built Around You

YourValues Wealth Counsel was created to offer something that can be difficult to find in traditional wealth management: access to experienced, independent financial counsel without requiring you to turn over the management of your investments.

Traditional financial advice is often bundled with asset management and priced based on how much a firm manages. YourValues separates the counsel from the asset management. You engage me directly for my time, experience, and perspective—without an asset management fee.

That independence allows our work to begin where I believe good financial advice should: with you. Your circumstances, priorities, family, and values come first. The financial strategies follow.

Whether you manage your finances yourself, work with an advisor, or want an experienced second opinion, I can work alongside you and your other professionals to help you see the bigger picture, evaluate your choices, and make thoughtful decisions about your wealth.

The goal is not to manage more of your money. It is to help you make more thoughtful decisions about what you have.

^{What guides my work} Values That Show Up in the Advice

Values matter only when they influence how we act. These are the principles I bring to every client relationship.

Honesty

I’ll tell you what I see—even when it may not be what you expected to hear. Good decisions begin with an honest assessment of where you stand.

Objectivity

My counsel is guided by your circumstances and priorities—not by products to sell, assets to gather, or sales goals to meet.

Wisdom

Experience brings perspective. After decades of helping families navigate markets, transitions, and important financial decisions, I bring that perspective to the choices we consider together.

Care

Financial decisions are ultimately about people. The family, relationships, aspirations, and causes that matter to you deserve to matter in the advice you receive.

Meet The Founder

My interest in financial planning began in an unlikely place—a personal finance class during my junior year of high school. Growing up, money was rarely discussed, and that class opened my eyes to how thoughtful financial decisions could create opportunities and change the course of a life.

Another important influence was my grandfather, Chuck Lang. He believed in me long before I had accomplished much to justify it. More importantly, he had a remarkable ability to take genuine joy in the success of others. That example has stayed with me throughout my life and career. Few things have been more rewarding than seeing people I work with gain confidence, accomplish something meaningful, or discover possibilities they had not considered before.

I earned degrees in finance and marketing from the University of Cincinnati and began my career in 1991 in the trust department of a Cincinnati bank. I became a trust officer in my twenties, working with families, complex trusts, and investment advisory firms across the country.

After earning the CFP® certification in 1996, I joined Johnson Investment Counsel in 1998 as its 40th employee and first CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional. A few years later, I was among the group that purchased the firm and transitioned it to employee ownership.

Before founding YourValues Wealth Counsel, I advised over 100 individuals and families and oversaw more than $350 million in client assets. I also held leadership roles involving investment strategy, led the firm's Client Experience Team and was quoted on financial topics in publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

I have always believed that experience should be accompanied by continued learning. In 2020, I earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation, deepening my knowledge of charitable planning and strengthening my ability to help individuals and families use their resources to support the people, organizations, and causes that matter to them.

But the most meaningful part of my career was never simply managing investments. It was getting to know families, helping them understand their financial lives, and giving them greater clarity and confidence about important decisions.

That is the work I wanted to continue when I founded YourValues Wealth Counsel.

Today, I also bring the perspective that comes from navigating many of these decisions personally—as a husband, father, investor, client, philanthropist, and steward of my own family’s resources. I understand that wealth is about far more than numbers. It is about the people you love, the choices you make, the opportunities you create, and what you hope to leave behind.

That perspective—and a genuine interest in the people I serve—is at the heart of how I approach every client relationship.

CFP® — CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®

CAP® — Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy

Fee-Only, Fiduciary

Community Service

Service has always been an important part of my life. Today, I volunteer with the College of Charleston as a mentor in the MBA program and as a volunteer board member for the Executive MBA Capstone class. I also serve as a Vincentian with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s St. Clare of Assisi Conference on Daniel Island, working alongside fellow Vincentians to serve neighbors in our community who are facing financial hardship and other challenges. I am also a member of the Rotary Club of Daniel Island, which provides another opportunity to connect with and serve my community.

^{Beyond The Numbers}Family, Faith, and a Life Well Lived

My wife, Kathy, and I have been married for more than three decades and raised two sons, Alex and Jack, who are now building lives and careers of their own. Alex followed me into wealth management and is a CFP® professional with Johnson Investment Counsel, while Jack works with golfers, coaches, and facilities throughout the Cincinnati and Dayton area with Trackman.

Family and faith are at the center of my life, along with a belief that the resources and talents we are given are meant to be shared with others.

Outside of work and volunteering, I enjoy reading, traveling, scuba diving, cycling, playing pickleball, and spending time with family and friends. I’m also happiest around good food and good music. I especially enjoy meaningful conversations with people who can introduce me to new ideas, experiences, and perspectives—there is always more to learn.

Kathy and I are grateful for the life we have built together and particularly enjoy this stage of life: watching our family grow, exploring new places, serving others, and spending more time doing the things that matter most to us.

^{START THE CONVERSATION}Let's Talk About What Matters to You

Whether you have a specific financial question or simply want a fresh perspective on the bigger picture, a conversation is a good place to start. Our first conversation is relaxed, confidential, and complimentary. We’ll talk about what matters most to you, what you hope to accomplish, and whether YourValues Wealth Counsel can be helpful.

Start the Conversation

About YourValues Wealth Counsel