Professional Biography
Kent Kramer, CFP®, AIF®, CIO/Lead Advisor, works alongside clients to help them identify, progress toward, and achieve their most meaningful financial and related goals. Drawing on his varied experiences as a communicator, elected official, financial advisor and portfolio manager, Kent uses his unique abilities to describe and connect our clients’ financial goals with strategies that will lead toward success. A partner since 2004, Kent provides leadership within the firm as a member of the Management Team and Investment Committee. He enjoys speaking and writing on various topics. Along with the Foster Group blog, his articles have appeared in Physician’s Money Digest, Iowa Medicine and other publications. Kent graduated from the University of Iowa with High Distinction in Finance in 1984 and is a member of the Financial Planning Association. He has served as a Representative in the Iowa Legislature (Vice-Chair Ways & Means Committee on taxation) and on the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s Board of Governors.
Personal Thoughts
What I like the best about my role at Foster Group is how it brings together so many of the experiences and responsibilities that I have been fortunate to have since graduating with a Finance degree 1984. While I have tremendous respect for, and pay close attention to, the technical, number-crunching aspects of finance, experience has taught me that it is the more human elements of communication; understanding, wisdom and decision-making that usually lead to success or failure. I have observed this while communicating a message across cultures in an international mission organization, working in the Iowa House of Representatives to find policy answers that are fair to all citizens and in managing personal wealth for individuals and institutions. The challenge of taking complex or misunderstood ideas and making them clear and applicable to an individual’s “real life” in a way that improves confidence and quality of life is rewarding in any context.
The other major positive about working at Foster Group is the way that our organization protects the priority of family and community engagement. Kim (my wife of 26 years) and I have four great daughters (from college graduates to middle school ages) who all keep us happily engaged in their pursuits. In addition, we remain very involved in our local church whether in teaching (me) or music (everybody!), plus we enjoy bicycling and being outside, including our annual 1-2 week family trip to the mountains of Colorado. I can’t find enough time to read my ever-growing book list and, of course, we follow the Iowa Hawkeyes as loyal alumni and parents of current Hawks!
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