About Jason

Hey look – financial people don’t all where suits and ties everyday!

Hi, I’m Jason Wenk and welcome to my blog.

I built this site to serve as a conduit between my business life, investment research, thoughts about the global economy and social issues, and a little glimpse into my life outside of work.  While anyone can stumble upon the site, it’s really designed for clients, friends, and those interested in my work but wanting to do it with a little distance.

Most people who find this site will already know a bit about me.  If you don’t though – here’s a quick rundown chronologically of what I’ve been up to.

• I was born in a small town of less than 2,000 people called Shelby, Michigan – on the west side of lower Michigan.
• I grew up mostly in Stony Lake, Michigan, a very small lakeshore community of less than 500.
• A major changing point in my life was in 1993 when my family purchased our first home computer, a Micron 486 DX2.  I officially became a geek!
• I went to Grand Valley State University after graduating from Shelby High School in 1998, but was recruited by Morgan Stanley and left at just 3 semesters.
• In 1999 I was the youngest employee of the roughly 50,000 employees at Morgan Stanley worldwide.
• I received my training at the World Trade Center, on the 61st floor of World Trade 1 – and left NYC to return to Michigan in March of 2001, just a few months before the tragic events of 9/11.
• After 2 years of working 80+ hour weeks for Morgan Stanley, I resigned and began thinking about my long-term future in the financial world.
• After doing investment related work for a non-profit for 9 months, I started my own investment research company in 2002.
• I married my high school sweetheart (though we went to different high schools) and have been happily married ever since.  We now have two wonderful kids to round out the Wenk family.
  

  Outside of work I’m very active in coaching youth sports. Here’s my son after a big win in his youth football league where I volunteer as an Assistant Coach. Go Patriots!

• In 2004 I formally introduced FormulaFolios – the quantitative, computer driven investment models I’m most well known for today.
• In 2006 I registered my company, Retirement Wealth Advisors nationally with the SEC after being registered only in the States of Michigan and Texas since 2004.

How’s that for full disclosure?

I started this blog in 2011 as part of a renewed pledge to help people.  My goal is to do all that I can, with the talents I was blessed with, to make as big an impact in the world as possible.  I know that’s a bit cheesy, but it’s true.

The entire Wenk clan circa 2010.

It hit me when I started writing my first book, that when I was a kid I really believed I could change the world, or at least make a major positive impact.  I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point I must have grown content with a less altruistic life.  Maybe you know exactly what I’m talking about.

This blog is just one way I hope to make an impact, give back, and be more like the man I wanted to be as a kid.

So here we are.  Thanks for checking out my blog.  I hope to write often and do what I can to actually live the life I dreamed I would as a naive kid.  If my expertise is helpful to the readers of this blog in any way – I’ll consider it time, energy, and passion well spent.

Cheers,

Jason Wenk

Where My Work has Been Featured

Registered Rep Magazine

OnWallStreet.com

Financial Advisor Magazine

WealthManagement.com

Financial Planning Magazine