Rick Fine is miles from where he thought he’d be now, and he likes it. Fine graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in computer science and worked for many years on the engineering side of the software industry.
After a taste of the business side of software development and an MBA from Babson College, Fine decided to make a change. He always enjoyed doing his own investing, so he enrolled in Boston University’s financial planning certificate program and subsequently received his CFP® certification. At the same time, Rick Miller, founder of Sensible Financial Planning and Management, was searching for someone to join his team of one. Miller hired Fine as a part-time intern. It didn’t take long for Miller to see that Fine’s high standards and scrupulous attention to detail were a perfect fit for the financial services world.
Now, fourteen years later, Sensible Financial has named Fine a shareholder/member in the LLC. The announcement is exciting for both parties. For Rick Miller, it means enhanced continuity for Sensible Financial and its clients. For Rick Fine, it means he has an even bigger stake in the company and its future. It also means the families he works with can count on him as a part of their long-term plans. He will continue to provide thorough, clear-headed advice to his clients while remaining committed to Sensible Financial’s mission and ideals.
The main reason Fine enjoys coming to work every day are the values Sensible Financial embodies. “Sensible Financial is a fiduciary financial planning and investment firm and that’s important to me. It means our clients can trust that we’re giving them fair, impartial counsel and we’re responsible for working in their best interest. It sets the bar higher and I like that.” The Financial Times likes it too, recently naming Sensible Financial in its FT: 300 top US registered investment advisors. Fine continued, “I firmly believe in the firm’s mission to provide quality, unbiased financial advice at a fair price. I have a deep commitment to help my clients achieve their financial goals.”
Miller and Fine work well together. Their complementary skills have allowed Miller’s visionary to concentrate on long-term strategy while Fine’s engineer refines processes to keep the Sensible engine humming. When asked about his colleague, Rick Miller said, “Rick Fine is dedicated to giving accurate and meaningful advice to our clients. His meticulous approach to financial planning has helped us keep our process consistent and reliable.”
At a time when people change companies and jobs often, Fine has chosen to stay with Sensible Financial for fourteen years. This new position reassures clients that he’ll remain for years to come. “One of the reasons I’ve been so happy at Sensible is the positive company culture. I started here as an intern and the career track Rick Miller set up within the company allowed me to rise to Senior Financial Advisor and now shareholder. That internal training helps our people grow and develop while ensuring the future of the firm.”
You can see an example of the congenial atmosphere of the company as you walk around their Waltham office. The walls are adorned with beautiful photographs taken by Rick Fine. An amateur landscape photographer who loves to travel, Fine takes pictures wherever he goes, so the Sensible Financial office has become a gallery of his work. Fine prints the photos himself and changes the art when his busy schedule permits. It’s a warm, personal addition to the office and it illustrates the Sensible Financial view that members of the firm are most productive when they also have outside interests.
If you asked Rick Fine twenty years ago to predict where he’d be now, he may not have guessed that he’d own a part of a successful investment firm that helps individuals and families plan their financial futures. His path wasn’t a direct one, but his hard work, determination, and exacting standards earned him this important new role.
To speak with Rick Fine or another member of our team about your financial future, get in touch today.