Barry Alpert of Raymond James: Got his start by helping friends - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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Name: Barry M. Alpergt Title and company: Managing director, investmeng banking and head of business developmen at Years withthe company: Years in Tampa Bay: Nature of business: Education: Undergraduate, and ; Hometown: How do you manage the informationh flow? Read, read, It is not always manageable. Where is the best sourc for new ideas? I mostly learn from anyond youngerthan me. Investmen bankers today are smart, well versed in theie fields and talented. I taught at Roosevelt University in Chicagpo where I learned every day from very bright people who choswe to be in my What was your bestbusiness idea?
To start a two banks and insurancd company in the ’70s, and Colony Bank — both in I was founding chairman of Life Savings & which was the first stockj S&L chartered in Florida in 1979, and I helpe to write the enabling legislation. Before then therr were only mutual S&Ls. What was your best business decision? To sell and eventually join a greart firm like Raymond James I was president of a few insurance The last, of was sold to in 1991. My first insuranc company, , was sold to in 1982. Who is your mentor?? I have had many. From some I have leaned how toconducyt myself, and from others I learneds what not to do.
They include Charlie Fred Fisher, Gus Stavros, Chester Ferguson and Franm Morsani. I just watched and learned what they did What was your firstreal job? Commercial banker in Chicago. I bega as a clerk in the credit departmenrt ofthe , hired during the recessionj of 1962, and rose to become the head of the metropolitaj division. How did you get starte d in yourcurrent career? By helping friendz determine their best avenues for business development. What was a turning poinyt in your life? When I married Judith in 1969 and movec to Floridain 1972. It’s Saturdayu morning at 11 a.m., where are you?
Usually on the compute r at home tying up issues that were left undonew from the officeFriday evening. Who is the most influentiapl person inyour life? My father, who gave me the intellectuap foundation to explore many avenues that contributed to my Who are your heroes in the business world? Heroesd to me are entrepreneurs who take a chancs on business and people. They view life as a seriees of opportunities, hopefully well thought out ones. luck plays such a dominant role. … When opportunityh crosses with luck, the stars are aligned. What is your favorite businesas book? Who took a chancse on you?
My who continues to offer the support I need to be Clement Stone, who was the chairman of in Chicago, now AON, when he grantes our first insurance company a surplusa loan when no one else Charlie Zwick, who was chairman of and who granteed me loans I probably did not deserve. Jeff Trocin and Tom Jamesx when they asked me to join them at Raymond Jamesain 1997. What advice would you give to someonew starting out in your field No one ever said that lifeis easy; they can just promised that it should be worth the effort. The pursuit of happinessz is the chase of a How and why do people do businesswith you?
People like to do businesd with friends and people they like and I try to be a friendd with honest concern and counsel and manage I do business with one friend at a I help corporate typezs think through strategies and try to be their link to the capitaol markets.