Community Corner
Financial Planner Embraces Second Career And Volunteerism
Bob Adams, one of the 2011 CREST Award winners, enjoys his second career as a financial planner and the different hats he wears in community service.
Among this year's CREST (Cupertino Recognizes Extra Steps Taken) Award winners, Bob Adams is a person who can always move smoothly from strategic planning to tactical execution in his community service, according to Beverly Lenihan, president of the Cupertino Rotary Club.
Lenihan nominated Adams for the CREST Award for his significant contribution not only to the Rotary but also to the Cupertino Library Foundation, the , and the annual food drive to the West Valley Community Services sponsored by Silicon Valley Chapter of the Financial Planning Association.
"All the volunteering he does makes our city a better place to be," said Lenihan.
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Adams said he volunteers as much as he can because he feels blessed about his own life and wants to give back to the community.
Born and raised in Mountain View, Adams has lived in Silicon Valley for almost his entire life, except for the years he went to Chico State University for a Bachelor's degree in computer science.
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Adams worked for Hewlett-Packard Corporation (HP) from 1979 to 2002, first as an engineer and then as a manager. During those years he also earned an MBA from San Jose State University. Before HP closed the software division he was in, he also started studying part-time for a Master's degree in financial planning through Golden Gate University.
According to Adams, he could have easily found another position at HP when his team was eliminated, but he chose to make a career change. With a strong interest in financial planning, he established his own business, Armstrong Retirement Planning, giving the company his own middle name.
Adams said he is a fee-only planner who doesn't sell products. Sometimes he provides pro bono financial advice to seniors and low-income families through the Financial Planning Association. He said he thrives on this line of work, which is in high demand.
"There's a shortage of financial planners," said Adams. "But never a shortage of clients."
Adams said he enjoys the flexible schedule of being his own boss, which allows more time for volunteer work and vacations than his previous jobs at HP.
Adams just came back from a Pacific Northwest cruise. He said he loves taking cruises. He and his wife of 31 years, Pat, have been on many cruises. Sometimes they bring along their son, currently a senior of Monta Vista High School.
Back at work, Adams has things waiting for him to do, but he says he will still manage to go to the next Rotary meeting.
Adams talked to Cupertino Patch about what each of the programs he volunteers for means to him. The video recording of his speech is attached to the article.
