Green Success Stories was started to highlight people making a positive impact on the world. When Green Success Stories was launched, we wanted to focus on the industries that have the biggest impacts on our planet: finance, tech, health, and business, because those industries impact everyone on the planet and determine everyone’s individual personal health, mental health, physical health, and financial health. When we came across Steven Levenson, Senior Vice President at Western Financial Corp. we were excited to see someone who is passionate about their work and is excited to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Steven sits down with Green Success Stories to share his family’s long history of helping others with financial sustainability.
Steven, thank you for joining us. Tell us a little bit about you and your background:
Growing up I heard many languages being spoken in the house. My Mother is from Milan, Italy although she grew up in Luxembourg. My Father was getting his Masters in Rome, Italy and he met my Mother in Calabria. Every year since I was a newborn I would go to Italy to go visit my family. Italy has a very special place in my heart. I am a dual citizen and speak Italian fluently. Growing up I thought I was going to become a journalist and travel around the world. While going to school at Northern Arizona University I fell in love with my finance classes.
My roommate and I founded the global business club and I was also an active member of the investing club on campus. I come from a legacy of financial advisers. My Grandfather established Western Financial Corporation in 1976 and my Father worked alongside my Grandfather for decades. Today I get to work beside my Father making me the third generation adviser at the firm. I have developed a practice as a retirement plan specialist. Establishing 401(k)’s for small to mid sized businesses.
What is a fun fact about you?
I speak Italian fluently.
Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?
More awareness!
What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?
Fin-tech has flooded the wealth management space, advisory fee’s have gone down and more advisers are pushing to establish a brand and relationship with clients than ever before. So I believe we are going to see more advisers pushing to become specialists, niching down, and striving to solve more granular issues rather than being a generalist and serving anyone that comes walking through their door.
What can the average person do to make a difference?
Climate change is tough. I believe it’s going to take major legislative changes around commercial fishing, plastic usage, sustainable energy production and more. I think the average person needs to keep an open mind and be willing to change their habits in order to make a difference. Although this has to be an effort all of us make.