Growing up outside of Chicago, my interest in finance began early. My grandfather gave me 10 shares of Coca-Cola and told me every time someone buys a coke I would get a penny. The math may not have been exact, but the concept stuck with me for life. Around my 11th birthday, I was at school and watched as they installed these brand new colorful computers, so I went home and asked my dad to buy me stock. I didn't know the name but I remembered the logo and said "Buy the one with the apple with a bite taken out of it." Instead he bought a stock that was all over the newspapers that "everyone" should buy. That was my first lesson in buying quality over what's popular that day.

After my first year of college at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I received a scholarship to Auburn University where I received my degree in Business Administration and Finance. Ultimately my early passion for investing paid-off after my scholarship ran out during the recession and I used my stock market earnings to pay for the rising cost of tuition. After obtaining my securities licenses, I began my career as a Financial Advisor at the Edward Jones headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri where I managed multiple branch offices across the country. I ultimately began my own advisory practice as a Financial Advisor outside of Chicago. After some time I left Edward Jones and joined a smaller firm at the ground level and helped grow the organization. I learned many valuable lessons about additional services I now offer and the technology that allows me to serve a growing client base without sacrificing the level of service I provide. 

When I am not working, I love spending time with my beautiful wife, Vanessa, and my incredible daughter, Layla. To add to the fun, we adopted a great rescue dog, Luna, who can always be found within a few feet from the girls. We love to cook, travel and take advantage of the great food and sights this beautiful city offers.

My earliest introduction to investing came from my grandfather, who periodically spoke with me about the UTMA account he started and contributed to on my behalf. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the account or the underlying investments. However, these conversations sparked my curiosity and planted the seed for a deeper interest in finance.

Wanting to learn more, I applied to the Academy of Finance program at my high school and was accepted. This program, which spanned my junior and senior years, not only provided a head start on college credits but also led to my first internship with an investment advisory firm. The Academy of Finance reinforced my passion for finance and solidified my long-term goal of building a career in this field (should my hockey dreams not come to fruition!).

A few years later, while pursuing my MBA, I had the opportunity to shadow my father-in-law, a financial advisor. Observing his relationships with clients and the profound impact of his advice further solidified my desire to pursue a career in financial planning.

I began my financial advising career with Ameriprise Financial in Midtown Manhattan shortly after earning my MBA. After a few years, I took a bold step and founded my own firm, O'Connor Wealth Planning (OCWP), in 2021. That same year, I also joined my mother-in-law’s accounting practice, Lisa Spaay CPA. This allowed me to grow my practice while learning valuable lessons from the accounting world—insights that have since expanded the services I offer to clients.

In 2024, after a few years as a sole practitioner at OCWP, I connected with Serenity Wealth Management (SWM). I quickly recognized that their approach would enable me to deliver the level of service I believe clients deserve, so I made the decision to merge my practice with SWM.

Outside of work, I cherish spending time with my wife, Allie, our sons, Brayden and Kane, and our dog, Briggs. I also enjoy playing and watching hockey, reading, and engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, rollerblading, and biking.