PDA Q&A: Jeffrey Fratarcangeli

How building a network of contacts can benefit clients.
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Jeffrey Fratarcangeli

DB: Where are you?

JF: In Ft. Lauderdale. We have offices here as well as in Michigan, New York, and on the West Coast. A number of our clients, including business leaders and retirees, have dual residences, so we do quite a bit of work in Florida. I don’t think the sun hurts their cause, either.

DB: How are your services different from other firms?

JF: I really try to go beyond the scope of financial services. As an example, I just met with the CMO for Glanbia Nutritionals — which, among other things, provides sports nutrition powder supplements for athletes, entertainers, and other clients. As an added benefit, I’ve introduced him to business managers and athletes who may be interested in using Glanbia products to enhance their overall performance. In essence, I use my network of contacts in the business, entertainment, and sports worlds to help my clients.

DB: How did you get started?

JF: I realized pretty quickly while attending Eastern Michigan University that I wasn’t a good enough athlete to take it to the next level (in soccer). EMU has a strong business school, and I enjoyed finance, so through various financial positions I was able to make a lot of contacts with CPAs, attorneys, business leaders, and business coaches. As you build up your network of contacts, you look for win-win situations.

DB: What’s one of your better connections?

JF: A company on the West Coast was looking for a CFO for (New York Yankees third baseman) Alex Rodriquez. He was getting into the latter half of his career and he was looking for a CFO who could tie all of his businesses and charitable endeavors together. I was able to find a business manager who had just finished working with a prominent family, so I helped put the two of them together. The company that I set this up for wanted to compensate me for the lead. I said it was a professional courtesy, but maybe we could do something down the road. That’s how I work. db

— R.J. King