Thomas AusfahlCFP®
Wealth Manager, Principal
Tom works with clients who have accumulated a good amount of their wealth but who are still focused on making their assets grow as they look ahead toward retirement. He partners with his clients to ensure they have a solid and well-monitored plan in place that will provide the resources needed to enjoy their lives and help make certain they will have peace of mind now and in their future.
Tom has over 30 years of financial services experience. Prior to joining Modera in January 2022, he was a principal at Greystone Wealth Advisors, LLC. Before Greystone, Tom worked at Commerzbank AG in various capacities. His last position at Commerzbank was as Vice President in the Corporates and Markets Division focusing on relationship management and business development.
Tom received a B.A. in economics from the University of the Pacific. He is a graduate of New York University’s financial planning program and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He is also a Registered Financial Advisor with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). Tom was formerly President of the Greater Hudson Valley Chapter of the Financial Planning Association and remains active on the Board.
What sparked your interest in financial planning? What fuels you every day in your work?
I have always had an interest in personal financial planning but never realized it was its own profession. Back in the early 2000’s, while working for a large international bank, I stumbled upon an introductory financial planning course being offered at New York University. I took the course and was hooked. As opposed to my prior career in banking working with large multinational corporations, I greatly enjoy the strong, personal relationships I develop with my clients and working with them to achieve their goals.
What do you value most in your client relationships?
I value the strong relationship and trust that client’s place in me. I know it is often not easy to open your life up to a stranger. Developing that level of trust over time as we work together to meet a client’s goals is very rewarding.
Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Northern California, about 20 miles east of San Francisco. After graduating from college, I had a job opportunity in New York City. I thought it would be fun and exciting to move East and experience all that NYC has to offer. While I was only planning to stay for a couple of years, I ended up meeting my future wife in NYC and 30 plus years later New York is my home. I currently live with my wife and three daughters in Rye, NY.
When you retire you’re going to….
My wife and I love to travel and will certainly do more of that. I would also like to spend more time out West. I love the mountains and hiking, particularly the Lake Tahoe area in Northern California where I have spent much time over the years. The natural beauty of this region inspired my interest in land conservation and preservation and I plan to be an even more active supporter and volunteer in this area in retirement.