In January 1992, I met Allen Minassian at Great Western Bank. He was a personable young man and a good listener. I respected and admired the care he took with his clients. He was intelligent, thoughtful, considerate and never rushed his clients; but was patient in answering their questions. I knew he could be a successful financial advisor. When the opportunity arose to work with him, I was enthusiastic. My boss agreed to hire him as my assistant in 1993.
When I eventually left the bank in January of 1995 to work on my own, I missed my friend. I thought I might miss our work talks and lunch time conversations. However, I didn’t realize at the time just how important our regular lunches were to my investment recommendations. Although we shared the same principles of investing: asset allocation, patience, and common sense, understanding Allen’s perspective helped me consider all the options before making a recommendation.
He joined me as an independent financial advisor in 1996 and we’ve been together ever since.
When I reflect on the past 30 years of knowing this young man, I think of his compassion, integrity, and desire to help his clients live a better life. In short, I’m a better financial advisor because I share my office with him.
We have been through many trials over the past three decades, both personal and professional. I’m embarrassed to say that I, all too often, have taken our friendship for granted. What I value, and do not take for granted, is his perspective and help in making recommendations for our clients. The trust developed from the time we started together, (before Bonnie and I were married!), helps me listen to his point of view without concern of an ulterior motive. Allen can’t fake his feelings and I love and respect that about him.
I’m writing this after spending time with my family over the holidays and I’m realizing that Allen is family to me. He helped me deal with Bonnie’s cancer and nursed me back to health when I fractured my patella and wrist in July of 2020. We have truly been partners in both our professional and personal lives, and I look forward to partnering with him in all phases of life over many years to come.
Doug Lagerstrom
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