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Employee Spotlight | Rodney Gonzales

Employee Spotlight | Rodney Gonzales - Learn a bit about Merriman employees – what we do

By Merriman Wealth Management, Wealth Advisor
Published On 09/03/2019

Cheryl: What is your “Merriman Story”? 

Rodney: My first exposure to Merriman was back in 2005, when the firm was located on Lake Union in the AGC building. I worked for a company called Black Tusk, and we serviced the computers and software that Merriman used. When that company dissolved, I heard about an opening at Merriman, and I’ve been here ever since. That was 8 years ago.

I enjoy working with Merriman as the people are open and fun to work with, and it’s not a daily grind to come into work each day. Plus, we have a pancake breakfast once a month!

 

Cheryl: Do you have any other roles at Merriman besides being our IT expert?

Rodney: I work closely with Compliance, making sure we are following all the rules and guidelines for our industry. In addition, I am one of three Floor Wardens for our office, which means I am making sure everyone is off the floor in case of an emergency.

Lastly, I am on the Disaster Recovery Team, which is probably the most important. This team is charged with assuring business continuity during a work stoppage event, like an earthquake, fire or snowmageddon. In addition to making sure our employees are safe during an event, we are also responsible for making sure our company continues to be here for our clients and conduct our daily business. Our Disaster Recovery Team makes sure that we’ve accounted for every reasonable scenario that could affect our ability to do business, and we’ve developed plans for keeping our employees safe, productive and to be available for our clients.

 

Cheryl: Tell us about your family.

Rodney: I have three very busy and active kids. My oldest is Griffen. He is 18 and heading off to college in the fall. It will be a big adjustment for all of us in just a couple of months. As of this interview, he hasn’t made a final decision on his school, but it looks like he will be headed somewhere with a few more days of sunshine per year than Seattle.

My second born is Spencer, who is 16, and will head into his Junior year of High School. He is very involved in theater, which keeps him busy.

My youngest is my daughter, Finley.  She is 12 and will be headed into 6th grade in the fall. She is a very avid basketball player and has won several awards for her writing.

 

Cheryl: How do you like to spend a typical weekend?

Rodney: When I’m not busy driving the kids around and attending their functions, I enjoy being active in my time away from work. Hiking in the North Cascades is a highlight. I also enjoy spending time with buddies from high school as well as friends from my Microsoft days. Working in my yard and doing some gardening round out the list.

 

Cheryl: Do you have any pets?

Rodney: Yes, along with 3 kids, we have a bit of a zoo at our house.  We have ten fish and three dachshunds, Ripley, Hadley and Bowie. They are spoiled rotten and spend most of their time sleeping.

 

Cheryl: What’s a “fun” fact about you?

Rodney: I am a prankster.  (Cheryl: I can attest to this myself! I returned from a two-week vacation a few years ago and my office was filled with packages, boxes, and boxes of stuff. It took me a while to dig out and find the legitimate packages that were for Christmas presents.)

 

Cheryl: What else do you like to do for fun?

Rodney: I love live sports as well as concerts, and I have tickets to see Elton John this summer. I also like to attend movie premiers on opening night, especially Sci-Fi films.

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By Merriman Wealth Management, Wealth Advisor

At Merriman, we manage your wealth so you can lead your best life. We take care of the financial planning and investment management, so you can deal in more possibilities and have the space you need to dream big.

Because it’s time to stop asking "What should I do?" and start saying, "This is what I could do."

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