Doug’s experiences in the ROTC, which he opted for along with his college classes, equipped him with the tools and training to succeed in any competitive environment. His association with Phi Beta Lamda, a national organization for college students interested in business, helped him further develop his confidence and leadership abilities. Armed with a degree in finance and this wealth of experience, he started his career as a financial advisor.
Looking back on his early days – a time when Doug and his friends joked that they were brokers because they were broke – Doug recalls how “originally there were hundreds [of us] in the training program, but by the end, there were only five.” His perseverance and hard work paid off when he discovered audiotapes from “guerrilla conferences,” in which owners of leading brokerage firms talked about how to succeed in the industry.
Doug began his finance career as an associate vice president at Dean Witter. Finding a mentor was easy as Doug’s father worked for the same company. While at Dean Witter, his father guided him in building a client list and tutored him on investment strategies. Later, his father’s premature death accelerated Doug’s education as he was forced to take over his father’s business. Eventually, Doug completed his advanced studies in retirement planning and asset allocation before moving to Wachovia Securities in 1994.
Doug Charney figured out early on that asset allocation was the key to building and managing people’s wealth. Researching some of his father’s clients, he found that accounts with mutual funds did better than those with stocks, while asset-managed accounts outperformed both.
| Q. What do you do for fun? A. I enjoy skiing, horseback riding, scuba diving, and flying airplanes. I have my pilot's license and often go to air shows or use my own plane to visit clients around the country. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? A. I do not really have a CD player. I am using an iPod right now and it is always on shuffle mode, so I never know what is coming on next. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. The last magazine I read was Flying Magazine. Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. I do not watch television much; in fact, I only watch the morning news shows including the Today show and Good Morning America. Q. Who is your role model? A. My mother and father are both inspiring people to me. Outside of the family, I admire Chuck Yeager and Jackie Cochran. Chuck had some great sayings like "Press on!" and "If it isn't fun, why are you doing it?" His friends said that no matter what, Chuck was able to have fun doing it in any situation. I also highly recommend reading Jackie Cochran's autobiography (which is no longer in print). She was a great role model, showing how to overcome even the most difficult challenges in life. |
From his base in Harrisburg, PA, Doug established the Charney Investment Group in a new Wachovia Securities office there. With more than 17 years in the securities industry as a financial advisor, Doug serves clients all over the United States, communicating with them via phone, Internet, and personal meetings for which he, a licensed pilot, literally flies down himself.
Doug is also a Certified Financial Manager and has been included in the Investment Consulting Red Carpet Club and the Wachovia Securities Senior Leadership Council for his outstanding service to clients. Having served in the U.S. Army for six years, he is also a U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. and works with the Admissions Department of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Currently, Doug is also busy penning his experiences in a book on the “dos and don’ts of starting a small business.”
