Even though he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University in 1988, Myron Mitchell’s favorite pastime long before then had always been the stock market and the world of finance. For six years after graduation he was a consulting structural engineer. His fascination with stocks and investments never waned. Finally he left civil engineering to pursue his true interest. He joined Allmerica Financial in 1994 and opened a financial planning practice. Myron later moved his practice to Securities America, where it remains today.
If it seems an unlikely career move—from civil engineering to financial planning—he can explain it. “I had a natural affinity for math which is the basis for both professions. But I wanted more contact and involvement with a variety of people than I’d had as an engineer.”
Myron’s clients are mostly retirees and people approaching retirement age, but he also helps businesses set up and manage their pension, profit-sharing, and 401(k) employee benefit plans.
“We take a holistic view of the people we serve,” Myron explains. “Our clients are real people—not file or case numbers. We walk each client through every step of the planning process, explaining every step, taking as much time as we need. We may involve the client’s CPA or estate planning lawyer or other planners in the firm with specialized expertise to be sure that the plan we develop will be comprehensive and best fits the needs of our clients.
“We also have more freedom than many other firms or planners because we are all independent financial planners. That means that we are free to evaluate and recommend products, policies and services that we feel will best fit each client’s needs, without having an affinity, obligation, or connection with a specific insurance company or vendor or investment fund. Our allegiance is always to our clients—and only to our clients,” he says.
To keep pace with the constantly changing business of financial services, Myron has taken specialized educational courses and seminars. He has earned the professional designation of Certified Fund Specialist (CFS) from the Institute of Business and Finance. He has also earned the advanced accreditations of both the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and the Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), both from the College for Financial Planning.
"My real satisfaction comes from knowing that my clients walk out better prepared than they were when they walked in. I’ve helped them set and clarify their goals, or I’ve helped them achieve or take the necessary steps toward achieving their goals. Perhaps I’ve resolved a problem or dilemma they had been struggling with. It’s tremendously gratifying to me to be able to use my expertise to do that."
Myron resides in Stokes County and enjoys spending time with his two daughters and son, Leah, Morgan, and Winston.