Mathmatics teacher finds new career in finance

What makes an educator switch from teaching to advising people about their finances?

Peggy Kubicek, financial advisor with Waddell and Reed Financial Services, believes it's a natural transition: "Finance is another way to educate and help people take control of their futures," she said.

Kubicek majored in mathematics and minored in writing at Southwest Missouri State University, earning both her bachelor's and her master's degrees in secondary school administration.

In 28 years in the educational system, Kubichek taught from fourth grade to the college level in both public and parochial schools.

She substituted and taught part-time and full-time, was a Parent Teacher Association officer and also served two terms on the Springfield Catholic School Board.

Kubicek married her calculus teacher at SMSU "after I was long past his classes," she added. Following the marriage, her husband John took leave from the university and the couple moved to Rolla so he could work on his doctorate. While living there, Peggy taught in the Rolla school system. John Kubicek still teaches at SMSU.

The couple have three daughters, Ella, Joanne and Beth. Ella is an engineer and works on jet engine designs in Ohio, Joanne is operations manager for a retail corporation in Indiana, and Beth is a junior at the University of Missouri-Rolla, majoring in electrical engineering.

"We certainly cultivated a rich math culture in our household," Peggy said.

For the last six years, along with teaching, Kubicek has operated a home-based business counseling college-bound young people and teaching them how to communicate, take tests and be responsible. She is gradually phasing out that business in favor of her new career in finance, which began less than two years ago.

Kubicek said she became knowledgable in the ways of the financial world through her own investment portfolio with Waddell and Reed, and then about a year and a half ago called to inquire about a position with the company.

She was accepted and began studying and training to become an advisor, ultimately obtaining her license to sell life insurance products and licenses to sell series 6, 63 and 65 securities.

There is still much more to learn in the field, Kubicek said, and that challenge is part of the allure of the business for her.

Kubicek enjoys her affiliation with Waddell and Reed because of the support from other advisors and from corporate headquarters located in Kansas City, she said.

The nationwide company has been in business since 1937. Its Springfield office is located at 3836 S. Fremont.

Advisers assist each other in helping people meet their financial goals and achieve financial security, Kubicek said.

She added that the company deals in mutual funds managed by seasoned analysts and provides information to clients through the advisors, written reports and the Web.

Kubicek and other advisers also work with accountants and attorneys to help clients with estate planning and to set up trust funds. "More people are beginning to recognize the importance of planning," she said.

Kubicek said she begins her association with clients by determining their individual goals and objectives, because it is important to decide up front what money means to them and assess their risk tolerance. The task then is to develop a plan to make their goals a reality.

"Some people are very sophisticated to start with," Kubicek said.

"Others don't even have a handle on basic budgeting. In these instances it may be wise to keep track of spending habits and see what can be done to change them," she added.

The task of the financial advisor, as Kubicek sees it, is to become a team member with the client, helping him or her make changes where needed.

The goal is "to empower the person with the control and decision-making ability they deserve."

Kubicek said she doesn't get excited about gyrations in the stock market.

"The market is only one aspect of investing," she said. "With long range planning it doesn't matter. The market always comes back eventually."

Kubicek plans to make the career change a permanent move. Though she will always be involved in education and volunteer work, she expects to move ahead and become a certified financial planner and continue to educate people about their finances.