Casey Winningham - First Investors Corporation Careers

Casey Winningham > Registered Representative

"I have the career I dreamed of when I started."

Advice to Others:

A career at First Investors is just like a long-term investment. Don't focus on the first or second year. Instead, imagine the career you can have five or ten years down the road.

Years With First Investors:

Prior Occupation:

Student

When I was in grade school, my parents showed me the portfolio of investments that they were building in order to pay for my college education. At the time I didn't fully grasp the importance of what they were doing. That changed during college, as I watched my friends struggle with part-time jobs or accumulate huge debts to pay for school. I was able to devote my time to getting good grades without any money worries. When I graduated, I was debt free and ready to begin a career.

I was interested in a career in financial services, but I didn’t have any experience. First Investors Corporation was willing to take a chance on me, and I became the first person hired at my office in 1985. The Company provided the training and tools that I needed to succeed.

When I started at First Investors, there were no computers, fax machines or cell phones. Four representatives would share a phone. Like most new representatives, I was in my twenties and most of my friends and early clients were about the same age and had little or no money.

What I've noticed is, as I grew older, so did my clients—both existing clients and new ones. Their careers blossomed, they made larger incomes and they had more money to invest. Also, as I matured, I gained valuable experience that has helped me expand my clientele.

Today, as a veteran representative, I have conversations with clients who are now spending the money that I helped them accumulate over the years. They are buying retirement homes, taking exotic vacations and giving their grandchildren a “head start” in life. When a client tells me that they are glad that we met long ago, that puts a smile on my face. That's what I call job satisfaction. I now have the career I dreamed of when I started.

Recent times have been unnerving for individual investors. A severe recession, a steep stock market downturn, unprecedented volatility, and high-profile investment scam stories have damaged the public's confidence in our nation's financial institutions, and left people wondering what to do. This loss of trust and direction comes at a time when Americans are more responsible than ever for securing their own financial future.

First Investors can help individuals accomplish that goal. We have been in business since 1930, and have successfully navigated many difficult economic periods in our nation during that time. We understand that economic slumps and recoveries are inevitable...and we know how to help people plan for both.

Using a face-to-face approach to customer service, our registered representatives work with clients to establish a disciplined approach to achieving their long-term financial goals, whether they involve saving for a college education, purchasing a home, or building a retirement nest egg. We have more than 80 years of success stories, working with people from all walks of life.