Michael Cullen

My Role:

Having recently merged his practice of 40 years into IronBridge, Michael now serves as a consultant to the firm and is instrumental in working with team members to familiarize them with the needs of his clients.

Work History:

My prior career was with a subsidiary of PepsiCo where I held various positions.  Most notable was my time spent working with various agencies on business planning.  The transition to financial planning was an easy one based on this foundation.  In the early 80’s financial planning for the masses, once only accessed by the wealthy, was just getting started.  Being new to the industry, this just seemed like the natural foundation to build a client’s financial life, including investing, on.  The past 40 years have been with the same broker/dealer in its various iterations.

Where I Come From:

My parents are American and my father was in the Air Force.  I was born in Nuremburg, Germany during the trials.  We moved back to the States and I spent my formative years growing up in a small town in Ohio and a smaller city in Indiana.  After college in Oklahoma my new employer promoted me and moved me to Chicago.  A couple of promotions later I was moved to start a new endeavor for them in San Francisco and quickly fell in love with the City.  Knowing that all roads would eventually lead back to Indiana, I wisely chose to chose to consider a new career.  Financial planning has been a stellar choice!

Education:

I have a B.S. in Psychology and also have earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification and the Accredited Domestic Partner Associate designation.  Much of financial planning involves life coaching, mediation and counseling, if done effectively.  My background education has been a real assist.

My WHY:

Finances were something never discussed in my family growing up.  My early career gave me exposure to the benefits of having a plan and sticking to it, making course corrections along the way as needed.  I care about people and want them to have the best life possible.  A good financial foundation is essential.

Community Engagement:

My husband and I support a number of well-known organizations, including the SPCA and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.  But our greatest gratification comes from the people we are able to support who fall through the cracks with needs not met by the usual sources.  Our entire estate will go to five charities in the USA and Canada.