College Senior Gets Real-Life Exposure Seeing Financial Planning Big Picture

Ford, a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia majoring in personal financial planning, considered several internship offers in the spring, including a few at brokerage firms. It was an encounter with Rosie Holub, president/CEO of the Missouri Credit Union Association, that led him to come aboard the investment services group at the $543 million Vantage.

Holub serves on the board of advisors at the university's Department of Personal Financial Planning. She happened to sit next to Ford at a meeting of students close to completing their studies. When she asked the St. Louis native what his career goals were, Holub said, she was blown away with his focus.

"His value system and everything he said he wanted in his career, I said to myself 'this is a credit union person,'" Holub recalled. "It's wonderful when you have an example of a young person trying to fit into a career path where they're helping someone."

Holub said she immediately thought of the African-American Credit Union Coalition's summer internship program followed by Hubert Hoosman, president/CEO of Vantage and a director on the league's board. After a phone call, Hoosman's review of Ford's r?(C)sum?(C) and an interview, the college student was quickly made an offer.

"He was such a sponge. It was a blessing to have him as an intern," Hoosman said. "He made such an impression that we would strongly consider offering him a job after he graduates."

Ford said he absorbed so much while working in the investment services department with his mentor Mike Gatrell, investment services group brokerage sales manager. The first couple of weeks, they went over a review of different technologies and concepts in the financial services field to gauge the level of Ford's knowledge. Gatrell said it was clear that Ford's knowledge of the terminology was well advanced.

The intern typically spent the first half of his work day with a specific task, and later he and Gatrell would discuss how it went and different approaches. Gatrell also had Ford come up with hypothetical plans based on portfolio information. Gatrell would also produce a hypothetical and then the both would compare notes.

"What you learn in school or from a professor is one thing. But in the real world, you deal with people, different personality types and identifying what type of personality you work well with," Ford said.

Ford also studied the lineup of investment services and products, including mutual funds and life insurance before going live with interaction, another skill the intern picked up very quickly, Gatrell said. Ford also got his hands in client reallocation and other planning tools.

"He's an overachiever. He's a breath of fresh air," Gatrell said. "We've had a few interns before but by far, he's the most successful. He molded very well with the team. We're definitely looking into offering him a job after he finishes school."

Ford said one of the "cool" experiences during his internship was attending a board meeting.

"It was interesting to hear the policies and procedures and then to sit in a division or lower department team [meeting] and see the transitions and how things are implemented," Ford said. "It was pretty interesting."

Ford said although he and several family members belonged to credit unions prior to his Vantage internship, he wasn't able to see up close the industry's mantra of people helping people. That philosophy motivated him to put a credit union profession at the top of his career wish list. Ford is scheduled to graduate in December and is considering graduate school to earn an MBA.

"The financial planning firms that I interviewed with [for internships] were more corporate, more sterile," Ford said. "The credit union was much more about the client and helping them achieve their financial dreams."

As he embarks on the next phase of his life, Ford thought back to something Hoosman said at an AACUC conference call attended by interns from around the country.

"Mr. Hoosman said you can do whatever you want as long as you have consistency, tact and tenacity," Ford said.

On the last day of his internship, Ford e-mailed his mentors thanking them for the eye-opening encounter.

"I believe every experience to be a good experience because you can always learn from it," he wrote. "That being said, my internship at VCU has been a great experience that I have learned tons from, a wealth of knowledge that I feel is a great asset to my life portfolio."

--msamaad@cutimes.com