Meet Curtis Fuszard

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Curtis Fuszard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Curtis with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic comes directly from my parents. Both were loving and disciplined; supportive but demanding. A favorite phrase from my father: “The job’s not done until the tools are put away.”

This instinct was reinforced often in the military. My primary role was to provide intelligence to the Infantry commander. We typically began our war simulations on Monday morning, returning to the garrison area on Friday. It was very common to initiate movements at midnight or later. Sleep was a precious commodity, but there was no alternative to long hours and hard work. To this day (now 50 years later), I often think to myself, “Whatever it takes!”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Immediately after completing my military service, I entered the investment industry – first as a money manager/bond trader followed by a financial planning executive. I was blessed to receive multiple opportunities to manage and guide others, and found that to be incredibly rewarding.

As a bond trader/money manager, I felt it was important to lead by example and earn the three-year “Chartered Financial Analyst” designation – the highest educational achievement in that part of the industry.

When I was asked to lead a number of financial planners, I pursued and received the “Certified Financial Planner” designation – again the highest level of certification. For nearly 20 years, I assembled a team of 65 financial planners who embraced my three priorities: Faith, Family and Career.

Toward the end of my professional career, I accepted a board of director position with REACH-A-Child, a nonprofit which provides new children’s books and backpacks to first responders so they can comfort children in crisis situations. Since 2016, I have served as its Executive Director where we proudly distribute 30,000 children’s books annually to first responders across Wisconsin.

As with most people, the most rewarding part of my life is the family. It includes nearly 48 years with my wife (and travel companion) as well as our son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. The ultimate blessing is that the those amazing four people live 240 paces from our home.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Over the past 50 years, I have hired hundreds of amazing people. With the exception of a few duds, each of them carried an attitude of humility, optimism and gratitude, and their words and actions were always grounded in integrity. I believe that my credentials (BBA, MBA, military service, etc.) allowed me to be considered for professional responsibilities. A positive attitude often resulted in getting the job. The work ethic referenced previously meant that I was given multiple opportunities for additional growth and responsibilities.

For those early in their professional career, please know that we do not expect you to have a three-page resume. We do value, however, good communication skills and a great attitude. Character matters!

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Some years ago, I read Bob Buford’s book, “Halftime”. Bob was a very successful business professional, but as he approached his later years he felt it important to give serious consideration to how he would spend the “second half” of his life.

Bob’s halftime consisted of a very deliberate and lengthy time of introspection. He was very grateful for the success he had achieved, but believed that life could be even more fulfilling. Bob used his halftime to figure out how to solve for that aspiration. His legacy now includes not only the professional accomplishments from his early years, but also the multitude of amazing contributions he is making to his family, friends and community via his nonprofit efforts.

I have tried to carry Bob’s message as diligently as possible because I know that people who give receive far more in return. As we often hear, no one on their death bed uttered the words, “I wish I’d spent more time in the office”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reachachild.org
• Instagram: @reachachild
• Facebook: @reachachild
• Linkedin: @reachachild or “Curtis Fuszard”
• Youtube: “REACHACHILD”

Image Credits

Not applicable.