It’s little known that I almost sold my prior firm to Moss Adams years before it was acquired by Genworth. Mark approached me about being acquired and, in my late 20s at the time, I could not have been more flattered at the prospect of joining Mark and his prestigious team, which is why it was such a crushing blow when Mark shared the news that he could not acquire my firm. Moss Adams’s smallest acquisition target was seven figures in revenue, and only a few years into practicing, we didn’t meet that threshold.
Mark could have simply shared the revelation and moved on, but instead he took the time to let me down gently, offer me a place on his team and then graciously support my decision to remain independent.
Mark has been a driving force in legitimizing the profession of financial advice by helping advisors create real businesses for themselves. He has set an example for me and countless others to follow with his wisdom, wit and willingness to contribute to causes that focus on people as much as profits.
For your gracious example and generous spirit. Thank you, Mark Tibergien.
—Stephanie Bogan, CEO and Founder, Limitless Adviser Coaching
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Future Focused
The financial services and education industries are usually two separate spheres. But there’s a natural place where they need to merge, and that is in providing crucial financial literacy and personal economics educational opportunities for young people. Mark Tibergien has been a champion in that effort.
You see, Mark is an alumnus of our school system. Over the past 10 years, he has supported our personal economics course as well as additional related programming that eventually reached almost every student in the Gladstone Areas school district including summer camp programming, scholarships and sponsorships to participate in state personal finance competitions.
He continues to be an outspoken advocate by encouraging others in the financial services industry to also “adopt” schools around the country by volunteering in or funding financial literacy programs. Our students, staff and especially our district's financial literacy teaching team, are so incredibly grateful for his support, leadership, kindness and genuine interest in our programming. We know that it has the power to make a positive and long-lasting impact on our community as a whole and on our students' lives as they reach adulthood.
—Erika Fix, Personal Finance Educator, Gladstone Area High School, Gladstone, Mich.