As a kid, I always liked numbers.  I would spend hours working on math...my brother TJ was forced to be my student when I wanted to play math teacher!

So it is no surprise to my family that I am working in a career where numbers are a core part of my life, but to be honest, I fell into this career.

I attained an Associates Degree in Accounting in 1992 at SUNY Alfred State College and went to work for a Rail Company called Morrison Knudsen.  I knew pretty quickly that it was not a fit for me and I was lucky enough to find a job at a small trust company that pointed me down my passion path.  

Steuben Trust Company taught me about Wills, Trusts, and IRA's and gave me the necessary experience to make the next leap in my career as a pension and insurance benefits manager wih the Corning Carpenters Union (then Local 700).  I was only at that job for about 15-months, but the exposure to actuarial science along with labor law and working one-on-one with all the plan participants deepened my love for helping people. Especially with the complex rules and choices they are exposed to both during open enrollment and at retirement.

I gained further knowledge and experience at Chemung Canal Trust Company, working in their trust and retirement services area for a little over five years.  However, driving 2 hours a day began to take a toll on me and I really felt this strong pull toward financial planning that included more then just investments.

With the support of my husband, Brent, I went back to college and focused on financial planning; graduating with a bachelors degree in personal financial planning and the course work to allow me to sit for the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) exam.  During my final semester, I was required to do an internship and I won't mention the name of that company, but it certainly opened my eyes to the difference between selling financial products and providing financial advice.

I moved on to Corning Credit Union's Investment Services Group and continued to not only hone my skills as an adviser, but also to do a sole searching on the type of adviser I wanted to be.   During this time, I decided to continue my education and in 2011 attained my Masters Degree in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning.

It was my next career move that was probably the most influential; I joined Burns Matteson Capital Management, which is also a fee only financial planning firm.  I loved the idea that there were no commissions and investment planning was weaved into financial planning.  This is the job that gave me the courage to move from being an employee to an owner of a firm.

When I left to move forward with that venture, I did so by forming a partnership with another adviser in Merritt Island, Florida.  This allowed me to escape the harsh winters of New York, but return for it's beauty in the Spring, Summer and Fall.  Irvine Wealth Planning Strategies, LLC still partners with Pinnacle Financial Wealth Management to provide clients with financial plans, but the two companies are separate entities.

As the sole owner of Irvine Wealth Planning Strategies, I am excited to be able to offer the clients the services they are seeking; and to form strong partnerships with each of them that I'm privileged to work with.

I also enjoy serving on the board for Faith-In-Action Steuben County and on the Ecology Committee for Cornell Cooperative Extension.