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YP: Paul James Marshall
Managing Director
IPG (Investment Banking/Private Client Group)
Bear Stearns & Co. - Tampa/Sarasota and Atlanta
Business
Business: Marshall helps emerging companies in the Gulf Coast area obtain major funding, including through access to capital markets and initial public offerings.
Challenge: Meeting and understanding his clients' needs in today's difficult economy. "I manage this by continually reminding clients that we live in a cyclical world, and by being as responsive as possible. I communicate with clients on a personal level frequently and advise them that whether they are investing in stock marketing, real estate or staying in cash, they have to weigh their options. And, hopefully, we provided a calculated answer to help them make wise decisions."
Professional Mentor: "When I first entered the financial industry 16 years ago, I worked with a hard-charging, former linebacker with the NFL. His Type A personality and tough approach to work taught me a lot about work ethics, and he taught me that the customer is always right. To this day, I maintain that same approach to my work ethic and approach to working with clients. Another mentor was my business professor who taught me that you need three things to be a success. I affectionately call them AMO - ability, motivation and opportunity. Without these you'll never be a success. Everyone needs a little AMO."
Importance of teamwork: Marshall says his team is the most important tool he needs to do his work; he places a premium on the input and resources provided by his investment team's varied expertise. "We've worked together for more than 12 years, so we have a good understanding of each other. From a manpower standpoint, my team knows exactly what's required of them, and technology allows me to communicate those requirements in a fast, effective manner."
Philosophy, Ambitions, Passions
Most Influential Books: Marshall says two books shaped the way he approached business and life: "When I was young, my father gave me 'The Peter Principle,' a business book on recognizing and dealing with incompetence. Even today, I apply the principals of this book to how I approach business to ensure I am as effective as possible. I have also found the 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' to be inspiring in being successful in business and life." Marshall says he is now reading 'The Man in The Mirror.' "
Work Week: About 50-60 hours each week, sometimes more. "My work ethic is very important to me."
On Stress: "I embrace stress. Stress is part of my job description - it helps cut through what's essential and what's not. After being in this business for over 16 years, you get used to a lot of things. I don't get surprised often, but when things don't go as expected, I recognize that the sun will always shine tomorrow. In all cases, I look at the long-term perspective of a situation to determine how to manage the situation appropriately."
Spirituality: Marshall is actively involved in the church, attending the Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, and St. Phillips, Atlanta. "It's important to have spirituality, whatever your beliefs, because it provides a time and place for reflection. My spirituality provides me with balance, as well as a place to reflect on what's taking place in my life."
Physical Activities: "For recreation, I play as much golf as possible, and enjoy playing tennis with the kids." Marshall and his family recently took their first kayaking trip through the Sarasota mangroves.
Charitable Works: Marshall created the Atlanta "Woman of the Year in Technology Awards," which has become one of the premier annual events in the Atlanta business and technology community, drawing hundreds of attendees. He hopes to replicate the success of that program on the Florida Gulf Coast as well. Marshall is a trustee in the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, an advisor to Sarasota-based Startup Florida and a supporter of the Sarasota Film Festival. In Atlanta, Marshall is policy committee chair for the Technology Association of Georgia, board member of Atlanta's Children's Shelter, member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and involved with the Society for the Blind.
On His Generation: "Growing up in the 80s, a Gen Xer, in a time of President Reagan and the movie 'Wall Street' and the advent of Yuppies, my generation saw the end of the Berlin Wall and Communism, the emergence of the digital age and a growing apathy to politics. The signature of our age is the go-go attitude many in our generation developed. We were - and still are - somewhat self-absorbed and politically apathetic. If I could change anything, our generation would have less of the 'me' attitude, and more of the 'we' attitude, and people would appreciate our rights and liberties the way previous generations did."
Mantra: Marshall espouses the mantra of the British Special Air Service - "He who dares wins."
- Kendall Jones
Personal
Age: 38
Birthplace: London
Birth Order: Fourth of fifth.
Parents: Father was a director in an electronics company until Marshall was 10. His parents then retired to the countryside and ran a bed-and-breakfast on the Devonshire coast.
Childhood: "The combination of city living followed by the serenity of coastal life have driven me to coexist today in both Atlanta and Sarasota."
Education: B.A., economics and advertising/public relations, University of Central Florida; M.B.A., finance, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, 1995. He attended UCF on a tennis scholarship.
Family: Married to Robi, with two children, Oliver and Simon.
Current Residence: Longboat Key and Atlanta
Career: Completed an internship in the financial services industry while in college, then moved to Atlanta. In his second year at a national investment firm, Marshall became a member of the Chairman's Club that included the top 5% of his company. In 1992, he became vice president of investments. He was a branch manager for another national firm before joining Bear Stearns.
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