Chris Wayne, AIFA®
PRESIDENT/CEO/FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Chris balances a love of logic, numbers, and investment analytics with the desire to enjoy life and meet people. He helps Laraway Financial Advisors’ clients improve their financial lives by planning and becoming educated about money and finances.
Before joining the company in 2014, Chris was an Investment Representative with another local financial firm for 11 years. Today, he consults with Laraway Financial Advisors’ clients on a variety of financial topics, investments, and insurance products.
“There’s nothing better than sitting down with clients, showing them the potential results of a good plan over time, and seeing the contented look on their faces that says, ‘Yes. Now we’re prepared,’” says Chris.
Chris prepared for his career by earning a BS in Finance, with an emphasis on Micro Computer Studies, from St. Cloud State University. Years later when Chris met Steve Laraway at a Scouting event, he was impressed with the company’s financial values and stewardship objectives, so impressed that he signed on. Today, Chris combines these values with his community responsibilities. He is a member of the CentraCare Investment Committee. He has been the Cubmaster and Den Leader, an Eagle Scout Review Board member and past Alumni Committee Chair, District Chair and serves on the Executive Board of Central Minnesota Boy Scouts. He has served as a member of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation’s Investment Committee and has been involved with Greater St. Cloud Business Development Corps, and St. Cloud Opportunities.
Chris grew up in River Falls, Wisconsin, the son of an accountant father and early childhood educator mother. Not surprisingly, he followed natural math ability to a career in Finance. He applied an affinity for education to his service as treasurer at Children’s Day Montessori of St. Cloud and to his Scouting (“Lead by example.”) role with his own two boys. Chris is a Boy Scout, literally.
Chris has always been sports-minded––running the hurdles and competing in the long jump, playing football and golfing. As a “cheese head,” he cheers for the Badgers and Packers, but also roots for the Gophers when necessary. He’s teaching the boys to downhill ski and golf; golf is Chris’ best individual game. When he saw Tiger Woods win the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland, it was a-once-in-a-lifetime thrill.
Chris loves nature, taking his wife Katie and the boys camping and fishing with family and friends in Luck, Wisconsin. “We love to be outdoors, sitting around the campfire on a cool fall night,” says Chris.
Something nobody knows about Chris . . . while attending St. Cloud State University, he was part of the Education Abroad program at Alnwick Castle in England. The “Harry Potter” movies were filmed at that castle.