Project Leaders
Peter Johnson — Project Creator
Peter has 28 years in the investment and financial planning business, and has run his own practice, PWJohnson Wealth Management, for over 20 years. His passion is helping people understand more about money, so that they can live lives of joyful power and freedom. As part of his commitment to education and public outreach, he also created AdvisorPress, a personal finance book publishing company, in 2001.
~~ We are deeply grateful to the the following dedicated, visionary individuals, without whom The Financial Literacy Project would have been just one more “great idea” that never saw the light of day. ~~
Paul Fridlund and Cynthia Fernandes — Pilgrim’s Way bookstore, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Paul and Cynthia are really the creative minds behind the concept of The Financial Literacy Project. As owners of Pilgrim’s Way, last independent bookstore in Carmel, California, they have long used in-store consultants to earn extra revenue and draw patrons into their store. Paul and Cynthia have created a vibrant sense of community and value through hard work, listening to their customers and building a high level of trust.
Marie Swift — Marketing and PR
Hailed as “a Marketing Guru” by the editors at Investment Advisor magazine, she’s been working with advisors and allied institutions since 1988, helping them make better marketing communications and business decisions . After observing her work for many years, Bob Veres, publisher of Inside Information, has said that Marie “is perhaps one of the best PR consultants in the business today.” Her company is Impact Communications, found online at www.impactcommunicaitons.org.
Ron Tugender — Technology and Bookstore Consultant
Ron Tugender, founder and principal of TechWorkx, has more than 25 years of computer industry experience, having served as software developer, project manager, and consultant. Ron has a master’s degree in computer science from Carnegie-Mellon University and has provided services to prestigious companies, including Logicon, CitiCorp, Price Waterhouse, Lycos, and Cisco. Most recently, Ron has been working with one of the biggest and most prominent bookstores in the country, Kepler’s bookstore in Menlo Park, CA, helping them chart a course into the digital future.
Alex Reyes — Registered Investment Advisor and San Francisco Community Leader
Prior to founding Reyes Capital Management, Alexander J. Reyes received a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University. Most recently he was at Charles Schwab and Company, where he served as a senior mutual fund analyst, a fixed-income advisor and later as a Private Client portfolio manager in the Hillsborough/Burlingame area. He has lectured on investment topics throughout the Bay Area, and has appeared on local radio and television. Alex is an Instructor with the University of California at Berkeley Extension program, where he teaches a semester-long course on investing for individuals. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the University of Phoenix.
Angie M. Grainger, CPA/PFS, CFP© — Cal CPA Liaison and North Bay Community Leader
Angie’s passion is helping others become at peace with money. She does this not only through her current role as a financial advisor, but also through her volunteer work fulfilling the mission of “Improving the Financial Literacy of All Californians” through her leadership in the California Society of CPAs.
Dave Campbell — Legal & Compliance Issues, Palo Alto, CA
Dave Campbell is the President of Nye Company, a regulatory compliance and consulting firm based in Palo Alto, CA. Dave holds the distinct honor of having been the first fee-only financial planner in the State of California. He currently consults with a large percentage of the independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisors in the Silicon Valley/South Bay Area, and has been kind enough to offer his opinion on legal matters that The Financial Literacy Project faces. Dave can be reached at (650) 326-9335, or by email at: davec@nyecompany.com.
Mattias Bergman — Bookstore Relations, El Dorado Hills, CA
Chief Business Officer/Vice President of Channel Relations, AdvisorPress
M.B.A. Wharton School of Business
B.S. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Penn State
Mattias has over 22 years experience in the management and application of technology in support of in-house clients’ needs. This includes not only technology operations, but also customer service and marketing. Mattias is committed to building community through the use of technology and innovation.