Stanton Shields

Why are you in Arizona?
I was born in New Orleans, but moved here when I was 4 years old because of my father’s job. After high school, I moved to Spain for almost 3 years, then came back to finish college. I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Finance. I married a good friend from High School, and settled down in Mesa to start our family. Arizona has provided me with a great education, multiple internships, and fantastic job opportunities. I am currently running the Arizona wealth management activities for a private bank and trust called Alerus. My job is to help Arizona business owners and their key employees make good financial decisions and build a strong estate for their families.

What concerns you?
There is a serious lack of financial education in most states in the U.S. It concerns me that educating students about finance is not a higher priority. I believe that if the population of Arizona was taught sound financial principles from a young age, people would avoid many problems and difficulties in their personal lives; and by extension, our economy would grow more stable and healthy.

Why would you leave?
My family is the most important thing in my life. If I ever felt that my wife and children were not safe here, or not being provided with opportunities for their future success, I would look somewhere else.