Christopher R. Vanderkolk, CFA
Director of Investments
chrisvk@afsfinancialgroup.com
Whether I’m tending to a client’s portfolio or meticulously maintaining my koi pond, I apply the quant’s precision to detail in everything I do. It was clear to me that I would work in the world of investments when I interned for a boutique financial advisory firm as a college senior in downtown Los Angeles. Upon graduating from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Business Administration, I was hired at the same firm as a full-time employee.
Over the course of the next seven years, I learned the business and worked my way up to portfolio manager, establishing investment allocations for clients and advising them on appropriate strategies. A move to Colorado brought me to a global supplier of mutual fund information, benchmarking, and commentary, where I continued to hone my skills in performance data analysis and index fund management. Eventually, I felt a need to return to the east coast to be closer to my extending family. Throughout the next five years, I earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential and exercised my skills in equity research at a small hedge fund in Rockville, MD, and as an investment specialist at a wealth management firm in Tyson’s Corner, VA. These experiences prepared me for the role I fill at AFS today. As the firm’s Investment Analyst, I research investment opportunities and monitor portfolio allocations for clients. I have been in the industry for 20 years now, and I sit on the PIMCO Next Gen Advisory Council.
I live in Rockville, Maryland with my two sons, Avery (9) and Quinn (6), and my Norwegian Elkhound, Zoe. I take great pride in cultivating my beautifully landscaped yard: seeding, feeding, trimming, and manicuring it. I also enjoy roasting my own coffee beans and experimenting with different coffee brewing techniques.