,CFP®
Mark is a Wealth Manager and Principal who provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to individuals and families. His work involves tax strategy, estate planning, investment management, and planning for major life transitions.
Prior to joining Modera Wealth Management, Mark served as President of RS Crum, where he spent more than 20 years advising clients and leading the firm. He joined RS Crum in 2003 after beginning his career with Merrill Lynch.
Mark has been active in the financial planning profession and broader community throughout his career. He is a past president and chairman of the Orange County Financial Planning Association (FPA), a member of NAPFA and the Sudden Money Institute™, and a charter board member of The Center for Investment and Wealth Management at UC Irvine. He is also a founding board member of Financial & Estate Literacy (FEL), a nonprofit organization that provides financial and estate planning education to seniors, and has supported organizations including Advisors in Philanthropy, Junior Achievement, Working Wardrobes, the Ronald Simon Foundation, and It’s Your Money.
Outside of work, he enjoys tennis, pickleball, running, and following college football, particularly the Arizona Wildcats, TCU Horned Frogs, and Utah Utes.
What do you value most in your client relationships?
What I value most is the people themselves. My clients have had great success financially, yet they’re some of the most grounded, unassuming people you’ll ever meet. They’re the kind of people you’d want to spend time with, and after all these years, I consider them friends. When you work alongside friends, it never feels like a job.
What sparked your interest in financial planning? What fuels you every day in your work?
I was drawn to financial planning because it combines two things I love: solving complex problems and working closely with people. Money is never just about money; it’s about security, freedom, family, and legacy. What fuels me today is the same thing that did 25 years ago: the moment a client realizes they’re going to be okay. Sometimes it’s a couple seeing for the first time that they can retire on their terms, or a widow knowing her finances are in order during the hardest season of her life. Those moments never get old.
What do you enjoy most about working at Modera?
Easy answer: the people. They’re sharp, they care about their clients, and they’re just good people to be around. In a lot of ways, they remind me of my clients: successful, but humble and easy to talk to. I feel like I’ve found my people here.
When you retire you’re going to…?
I don’t see retirement as a finish line. I’m trying to live my best life now, working hard for my clients while making time to travel, get outdoors, and enjoy friends and family. When I stop working, I’ll simply do more of the same. To me, true wealth is enjoying life today while being prepared for the future. It’s the philosophy I share with clients and try to live every day.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, B.S., Business Administration
Chairman, Orange County Financial Planning Association (FPA)
Charter Board Member, The Center for Investment and Wealth Management at UC Irvine
Founding Board Member, Financial & Estate Literacy (FEL)
Volunteered with: Advisors in Philanthropy (AIP), Junior Achievement, Working Wardrobes, the Ronald Simon Foundation, and “It’s Your Money”
