CEO and Wealth Advisor Joe Walsh Jr, a.k.a. “Big Joe,” had earned a degree in Personnel Management from Northern Illinois University and was a successful restaurateur before he entered the field of Finance. He learned early on that to be successful in small business he needed to know how the world of business, economics, tax and finance actually worked! On his quest for this knowledge, Joe took time away from his restaurant and growing family to earn his MBA with an emphasis in Finance from Northern Illinois University, his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification from the College for Financial Planning and his CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST (CFA®) designation from the Association for Investment Management and Research (now CFA Institute).
Joe found his knowledge of business, finance, accounting, taxes and estates to be very personally rewarding and in high demand. He became a valuable resource not only to friends and family with personal finance questions, but also to their friends and family who had been told to “go ask Joe. He’ll know.”
Joe established Walsh & Associates, LLC as an SEC-registered investment advisory company in 1986 while still running the restaurant. The personal gratification he received from helping others navigate this oftentimes difficult arena set him on a new career path, and Joe sold the restaurant and launched Walsh & Associates full-time in 1994.
A lifelong learner, Joe obtained and maintains his Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®*), CERTIFIED TRUST AND FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CTFA®), Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA®) and CERTIFIED PRIVATE WEALTH ADVISOR (CPWA®) designations. Joe’s enthusiasm for his work is contagious, and he has been joined at his family firm by his three sons Joe III (“Little Joe”), Michael and Tom.
Joe is passionate about education—for himself, his team, his clients and his community. He is a volunteer instructor for Adult & Community Enrichment (ACE) at Suncoast Technical College, where he speaks on financial topics such as tax-advantaged estate strategies, planning for the terminally ill, making provisions for “special needs” children, managing risk in an investment portfolio, charitable giving techniques, Social Security and striving for a worry-free retirement. He also serves on the volunteer CPWA Certification Commission for the Investments & Wealth Institute (formerly IMCA).
The most important thing in life for Joe Walsh is family. He has been blessed with four children, eight grandchildren and countless clients who have become like family to the Walshes.
Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck
*CRPC conferred by the College for Financial Planning
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification mark CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
