It may seem odd to associate an investment strategy with life change, but that is the premise on which our business has always been built.

Mike Dixon is responsible for the design and implementation of the investment strategy and process utilized by Dixon Financial Services. As your financial consultant, Mike will help you identify your goals and lifestyle objectives and work with you to implement customized solutions that lead to discovering, achieving and maintaining your financial happiness.

Why I founded Dixon Financial Services:

As a young father of two with a rising career at Chevron, where I worked as an accountant while attending school at night in the early 1980s, and then in various managerial positions, I became increasingly interested in the business of personal finance. I'd dabbled in investing on my own with mixed results. I thought there must be a better way, a method that would help with my own investing and one that would help other investors as well.

In 1987 I obtained my Series 7 securities license which allowed me to work as a broker. I was excited by the prospects of the tremendous data and software resources planners and advisors had available to them (thanks to the advent of the personal computer). I noticed, however, that all too often the financial instruments that brokers and planners recommended were those that generated the most money (for the brokers and planners) through fees and commissions, rather than being the best possible solution for the client.

At Chevron, I was running an accounting division with over 50 accountants reporting to me. But when I discovered in Asset Class Investing a way of conducting planning and asset management that would remove me from product sales altogether, I took the Certified Financial Planning Exam and told Chevron I was making the move to financial planning. In 1992 I left Chevron to focus full-time on my business as a financial advisor.

Looking back, it is hard to believe that I started a wealth management firm with just a few clients, while walking away from a lucrative corporate career that I enjoyed, with two small children, a new mortgage and without a tremendous nest egg in the bank. However, my passion for finance and a strong desire to create something special spurred me on.

And today, 25 years later, I get to wake up and live that passion each and every day.

My family is a great source of support and pride for me. And it's growing. My son, Jonathan had our first grandchild in August, 2012 and my daughter Michelle has one on the way. My wife Sharon and I spend much of our free time in Tahoe, biking, hiking, playing tennis, skiing and the occasional game of golf. We're also blessed to be able to work together to support groups enhancing quality of life in our communities, such as NAMI, Meals on Wheels, MANA, the Safe Alliance and other community charities.

Mike's Educational and Career background:

Mike has over 30 years of experience in financial services. He started with Chevron Corporation in 1977, where he held various financial and management positions over the course of a 15-year career. He also spent three years as the CFO of Sea Swell Yachts. In 1989, Mike decided to focus exclusively on financial lifestyle planning, He founded Dixon Financial Services at that time in order to help his clients realize the personal and business benefits of practicing what he calls the Art of Financial Happiness.

Mike completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees with honors, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Golden Gate University and a Master of Business Administration with a specialty in finance from St. Louis University. Mike's studies in accounting and finance gave him a foundation in financial analysis and money management. Through his MBA, Mike gained an advanced knowledge of finance, economics, taxation, and business development.

In addition to his degrees, Mike has also earned several professional designations. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a designation that covers investments, money management, and tax and insurance planning for clients. He is also a Certified Investment Management Consultant (CIMC) and a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA). These certifications demonstrate that he has undertaken a detailed study of portfolio analysis, development, implementation and monitoring. To earn the CFP, CIMC, and CIMA designations, Mike had to complete approved educational programs, pass rigorous examinations and meet experience requirements. In his ongoing commitment to being a knowledgeable and trusted advisor, Mike more than satisfies his annual continuing education requirements and adheres to a professional Code of Ethics for the designations.

Mike's enthusiasm, professionalism and uncompromising integrity have made him a respected advisor within the financial community. Mike has been an educator on Financial Freedom and Financial Planning and he has published a book on asset class investing. He also serves as the Director of Estate and Financial Planning for Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California.