Quinto F. Ambrosetti, CFP®

Quinto Ambrosetti, CFP, is a principal and senior financial advisor working out of the Erie, Pennsylvania, HBKS^® office. He works directly with clients providing comprehensive financial planning services and developing investment management strategies.

Quinto began his financial services career in 2001. Prior to joining HBKS^® in 2007, he was a financial consultant for National City Bank. He is a native of Erie. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing from John Carroll University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™. Quinto is a member of the Our Lady of Peace School Advisory Council , The Our Lady of Peace Church Finance Committee, and the Estate Planning Council of Erie.

Why have you stayed at HBKS^® as long as you have?

The best career choice I have made was coming to HBKS^® over 10 years ago. I left a bank where I had to push products in order to hit branch sales goals. It was how you “climbed the ladder.” How different from HBKS^® where our common goal is to put our clients’ interests first. We also go to great lengths to find new ways to keep making the client experience better. We’re trailblazers in finding ways to help our clients, whether it’s through advanced technologies we’ve implemented or in managing their portfolios. Over time, I’ve developed lasting relationships with my clients, and that makes it exciting to go to work every day. On the personal side, I get to raise my family in my hometown of Erie, and I’m comfortable that I’ll be here the rest of my career.

Have you always been interested in finance?

From age 5 to 18, I wanted to be a cardiologist. (To this day, I still have no idea why.) That all changed as a senior at Mercyhurst Prep, when I took an elective called Anatomy & Physiology. I remember at the time feeling that my future was in doubt, because I knew then that doctoring was out. Fortunately, I decided to go to John Carroll University, one of the top ranked business schools in the country. I found my real passion when I began taking classes in marketing, economics and finance. My internship at National City’s Trust department in Cleveland cemented my decision to join the world of finance. Then as I got more experience, I knew my ultimate goal was to be a financial advisor. I love that I get to create and implement financial plans for families, developing a relationship with them and seeing the plans come to fruition.

How has your process changed in the last five to 10 years with advances in technology and increasing availability of information?

Over the last decade, we have seen big changes in our industry. HBKS^® has been at the forefront, making sure we use all the technology available to us to give our clients the best service possible. We invested a lot of money to have our asset management unit systematically able to implement our investment models and rebalance portfolios in the most efficient way. We can execute investment decisions across thousands of portfolios in an afternoon – and be assured that all clients are getting the same high level of service. Within the last couple of years, we put into effect a web-based, interactive financial planning process that allows us to instantly download data across multiple accounts, including those at other institutions. It gives us the big picture, with the most current and accurate information available. Advances in smart phones and tablets have been significant as well; they put information in our hands, which allows us to spend more time meeting with clients – at their convenience. We can meet face to face with our clients no matter where they are. That’s important because we never want to lose the personal touch.

How do you explain what you do to people outside the industry?

I’ve heard prospective clients refer to their “broker” or “investment person.” We’re much more than that as financial advisors. For example, compare how a successful sports franchise is managed to a business or family’s finances. Championship teams have great general managers and coaches. A business or family should have a great financial advisor. The GM is responsible for assembling the team. As an advisor, I assemble the right pieces for each person’s situation, such as bringing together accountants and attorneys. Coordinating meetings and collaborating with experts in each field ensures a well-run team. As a coach, we’re responsible for coming up with the team’s game plan, starting with creating a solid financial plan that covers all the client’s goals. Once the plan is created, we can implement the strategy using best-in-class investments and insurance. And, like a game situation changes, our clients’ lives are constantly changing, and we have the flexibility and experience to adapt their plans accordingly.