Meet James
We are pleased to introduce our newest advisor and team member, James Blake!
His full bio can be read here, but to help you learn a little more about James and his family, we’ve asked him to answer a few questions…
Tell us about your family! Where did you meet your wife, Becky? What brought you to St. Louis?
Becky and I have been married for eleven years now and we’ve been blessed with three children: Lauren (9), Ian (7), Clara (5). Becky and I met at a BBQ hosted by a very good mutual friend. She grew up mostly in Central Wisconsin and had just moved to St. Louis from Chicago when we met. I was raised here in Ballwin and moved back after attending college in the San Francisco Bay Area. We now live in Des Peres, just down the street from our church and school.
When did you first consider a career in Wealth Management? What drew you to this field?
Since college, my career had been in orthopedic medical device sales. Although I had reached a management role, the macroenvironment of the industry was no longer inspiring me. Healthcare costs were working against innovation, travel was increasing, and the value of service being provided was constantly being commoditized by mergers and acquisitions. The lack of fulfillment led me to seek out a field that was interwoven into the fabric of a family’s life. It was a good friend who first encouraged me to consider financial services.
Wealth management is unique in that it provides us, as trusted counsel, gracious access to a family’s dreams, possibilities, goals, struggles, beliefs, emotions, and purpose. Money is one of the few elements that touch every aspect of life, and its management provides a means for me to serve others and love what I do.
Any hobbies or interests that are close to your heart? Where would we find you on a typical weekend?
I consider weekends cherished family time. We love to cook and entertain friends at home. If we’re not there, you are likely to see us running around and cheering on our kids from the sidelines of an athletic field. Sunday morning and early afternoon you’ll find our family at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on the corner of Ballas and Manchester. We’ve been very active members of the congregation since being married there in 2008.
Are there any particular authors you follow? Do you have a favorite quote to share with us?
I’m a big fan of historical non-fiction. One of my favorite authors is David McCullough. Here is a quote from John Adams I enjoy: “I must study politics and war that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”
We are excited to welcome James Blake to the team and can’t wait for you to meet him!
Sincerely,
Brand Asset Management Group