Rick became a financial advisor in 1987 when he joined IDS American Express, now Ameriprise Financial Inc., after graduating from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science. He earned the designation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Practitioner in 1991. In 1997 he co-founded Marino, Stram & Associates with Paul Marino with a conviction that he wanted to represent the interests of his clients as an independent advisor. Rick is passionate about the financial industry and its role in providing people with financial security. He has lobbied on behalf of the Financial Services Institute (FSI) in Washington, DC,