When Deb Kelly got married and decided to start a family, she realized she had a dilemma. “I wanted to be there for and raise my children myself, but I still wanted to have a successful career,” said Deb. In order to get the best of both worlds, she opened an early learning center. After she had owned, managed, and taught at the center for 16 years, she decided that it was time for a career change. That’s when she met Larry Grabenstein, the founder of PFG, who apparently knew right away that being a Financial Advisor was indeed meant to be her new career. Once Deb decided to join the PFG team and become an Advisor, she was eager to study for and obtain her various certifications and start working with clients—her favorite part of the job. “Larry often boasted to clients that I completed the rigorous process of becoming a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, including the dreaded exam, so quickly that I couldn’t use the official title of CFP® for another six months because I hadn’t yet met the required minimum of three years of working in the business,” said Deb. She didn’t stop there. She also received the Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant™ designation so that she can use her extensive knowledge of the federal employee retirement systems to help federal employees with their benefit and retirement decisions.
She’s about to celebrate her 11th anniversary with PFG in early February 2020.
“Clients I work with know how much I enjoy talking to and getting to know them and their families – not just their finances – so I can develop an investment plan that’s right for them,” said Deb. She loves educating clients about investing and planning for their future. She believes it’s important for clients to have an understanding of “why” they’re investing as they are and “how” she is going to help them meet their financial goals. But, she doesn’t stop with her clients when it comes to education. In 2013, Deb established WISE Women to bring women together at events that she hosts throughout the year, each with a different topic (sometimes financial, sometimes not) to help women become more knowledgeable and confident. Her background in science and math really comes into play as it relates to another favorite part of her job – solving puzzles. Whether it’s the retirement puzzle, the paying-for-college puzzle, or any of the other puzzles that life presents, she loves it! She even does crossword puzzles and sudoku every day.
Outside of work, she enjoys exercising, playing golf, hunting, biking, hiking—pretty much anything outdoors – and anything that involves her husband, their six kids, and their awesome chocolate lab. Deb said, “I love adventures and have skydived with my kids, completed a ruck march, ran a full marathon, and even finished a half marathon (13.1 miles) on crutches.” She also trys to spend time volunteering with various organizations and she is currently training to volunteer at a hospice facility.
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