Chris helps clients define their lifestyle goals and discover the financial steps necessary to realize them. He operates from the conviction that clients are real people, requiring his advice and mentoring to really understand and take control of their financial lives. Chris encourages his clients to look at the big picture first and then, develop specific plans for taxation, retirement, investing, education funding, and leaving a financial legacy.

Prior to joining Laraway Financial Advisors, Chris was a financial advisor with Cetera Investment Services for 13 years. However, he initially earned a B.A. degree in Biology from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and taught for three years before beginning his financial career. Today, Chris enjoys meeting with new clients in the Brainerd office, having good conversations, and developing relationships he hopes will last a lifetime.

“Financial planning is a great career. I get to work with people and help them every day,” says Chris, who knows what he wants from life. “Only a life lived for others is a life worth living” is his favorite quote, spoken by theoretical physicist Albert Einstein.

Chris is a past-president of Kiwanis and formerly, served on the Finance Board of the Brainerd Lakes YMCA. He is a member of Toastmasters and a parishioner at St. Francis Catholic Church.

As a financial advisor, Pat assesses the financial needs of individuals, businesses, and families, making recommendations and assisting them with their investments. He especially enjoys the personal contact with Laraway Financial Advisors’ clientele as, together, they plan for short-term and long-term goals––kids’ education, retirement, and other life-changing events and/or major purchases such as a new home.

Pat has been with the company’s Alexandria office since 2010. He received his Series 7 general securities license in 1996 when he decided to pursue a career as an investment representative. Pat initially received his B.A. degree in Accounting from Alexandria Technical and Community College, and was a comptroller in the medical and plumbing, heating and air conditioning industries for 20 years. Before joining Laraway Financial Advisors, he was a financial advisor with Financial Network Investment Corp.

Pat is also a volunteer firefighter in Alexandria, actively serving the community for over 35 years.

Another side of Pat:

Pat remembers that, as a kid growing up in Springfield, Minnesota, his dad would take him to the racetrack in Redwood Falls to watch the stock cars compete. Upon settling in Alexandria, he thought he’d died and gone to Heaven when discovering there was a racetrack located there. Well, Pat never raced cars himself, but when he was asked by the board of directors to contribute his accounting and financial expertise to the management of Viking Speedway in Alexandria, he jumped at the chance. His wife Cindy joined him in the later years, volunteering as manager of the souvenir stand. Eighteen years later, Pat (and Cindy) retired from the track at the end of 2013.

Since then, Pat has “slowed down” a bit, engaging in various home improvements, supervised (and assisted) by Cindy. They’re very proud of the results.

They’re also proud of the kids. The couple has two children–a married son Robb who lives in Alexandria with his wife and three children, and a daughter Amanda who’s an athletic trainer in Maple Grove. Robb serves alongside Pat in the Alexandria Fire Department and Amanda’s fiancé Kevin is a member of the Montrose Fire Department. Other family activities include spending time with the grandchildren, watching hockey games, and of course, going to the stock car races. Something few know about Pat . . . He and daughter Amanda went skydiving in 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it. An encore performance has been discussed!