Arthur Castro • Tustin, CA​
Summit and Surf Wealth Management • J.W. Cole Financial Inc.

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utdoor sports, especially swimming, surfing, and snowboarding, have been a big part of my life. This passion was sparked during my childhood and teenage years, when my parents somehow managed to pack our tiny car with camping gear for the many trips we took together.

While attending California State University, Fullerton, I also worked part-time in a ski shop to earn some extra money. I was recruited there by a ski school supervisor to become a snowboard instructor at Bear Mountain, a major ski area outside of Los Angeles. Snowboarding was in its infancy, and it was an exciting time. I became very proficient and ended up competing in the U.S. and abroad, starting on amateur circuits before moving up to professional tours, with several industry sponsors supporting me. I finished college by splitting my time between attending school and competitions. I also competed on what is now known as the World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour. These experiences led to my first significant investment, using the money I’d earned to purchase an investment property in Orange County.

After college, I worked for several years as a manufacturer’s representative for major ski and snowboard brands. A relative in the financial-services industry suggested that my people skills and business background could make me a good fit for the field. I ended up working for several years at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Merrill Lynch, and Bank of America, with successful experiences at each company.

I decided to become an independent investment advisor in 2006 and began my affiliation as a registered representative and investment advisor with J.W. Cole Financial and J.W. Cole Advisors in 2013. I named my firm Summit and Surf Wealth Management to reflect my strong passion for outdoor sports and the environment. I continue to snowboard and surf as much as I can. I also introduced my two children to these sports, and our family has had many great times at the beach and in the mountains.

I am also very passionate about the environment and belong to organizations dedicated to maintaining and improving the outdoor ecosystems on our coasts, in the mountains, and in our environment in general. Two of these are Protect Our Winters and the Surfrider Foundation.

I have met so many great people through my love of outdoor sports. I meet people at industry trade shows or conventions related to the snow or surf industries, through coaching at surfing or snowboarding clinics, and through my work with nonprofits. I often invite clients, and sometimes their friends, to go snowboarding or skiing for a weekend.

I never use any of these occasions for direct prospecting. However, it’s common for someone to ask what I do for a living, potentially leading to an initial consultation or the opportunity to add them to my newsletter list. For example, two of my clients came to meet me directly through a sports connection: one through private snowboarding coaching for her daughter and another through a client’s family who attended a surfing camp. Both of these clients have also become important sources of referrals. Building my personal and professional network has been critical to our firm’s success. But it’s more than just a business motivation for me. I feel very fortunate to be able to do the things that I love in both sports and as an advisor—and to meet wonderful people along the way.

Disclosure: Securities offered through J.W. Cole Financial Inc. (JWC). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. (JWCA). Summit and Surf Wealth Management and JWC/JWCA are unaffiliated entities.

Photography by Ed Carreon