Managing Director at UBS
Business students are told early and often that networking and using your connections is paramount to success.
John G. Acker learned that lesson early on.
Acker chose to study at CU Boulder because of its beautiful campus, its nearby skiing鈥攁nd the fact that UCLA didn鈥檛 have an undergraduate business program.
When it came to his applying for his MBA, though, his parents asked Acker if he wanted a letter of recommendation from John Anderson, a family friend whose support of UCLA got his name on its business school. Acker declined.
鈥淚 had a good grades and a good GMAT score,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 expected that would be enough.鈥�
Acker did get in鈥攂ut was waitlisted, and chose to get his MBA at the University of Southern California, which offered him a scholarship: 鈥淭hat was a valuable lesson, to use your contacts for everything鈥攁nd it鈥檚 helped me throughout my career.鈥�
That career has been impressive: For the last 15 years, he鈥檚 been at UBS, working with families to create wealth management strategies; Barrons and Forbes rate him among the best in the discipline. Previously, he was an investment banker at Banque Paribas, focusing on media and entertainment.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 really doing today is teaching鈥攕howing families how to manage their resources and plan for a comfortable retirement.鈥�
John G. Acker (Acct, Mgmt鈥�83)
鈥淢y mom was a schoolteacher, and what I鈥檓 really doing today is teaching鈥攕howing families how to manage their resources and plan for a comfortable retirement,鈥� Acker said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very rewarding to see clients achieve their financial goals.鈥�
It can be challenging鈥攑eople are emotional, and sometimes make poor decisions based on world events. But pullbacks in the market are normal, he said: 鈥淚f I go shopping for something, I want to go when it鈥檚 on sale. If the stock market is on sale, why wouldn鈥檛 you want to buy?鈥�
Clients also take comfort in the fact that Acker puts his money where his mouth is: He only recommends securities that he鈥檚 bought for his own portfolio.
When his money isn鈥檛 working for him, it鈥檚 working for CU and Leeds. Acker is a generous supporter of scholarships, including one earmarked for incoming Leeds undergrads. Both he and his wife are heavily involved in volunteer opportunities, from the Rotary Club to the LARC Foundation, of which he is co-president.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e lucky or blessed enough to do well, you should give back,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he better I鈥檝e done over the years, the more I try to give back, which is both fun and rewarding.鈥�