Prominent Tampa financial adviser, philanthropist dead at 57

Stephen Segundo was larger than life, his friends say. That’s why it’s so impossible for his large network to imagine a world without him in it. 

The Tampa financial adviser and community leader died Jan. 9 from medical complications after a short battle with Leukemia. He's survived by his wife Joanna and their two teenage sons, Max and Simon. Segundo was 57. 

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He was “the kind of person who showed up, no questions asked, and was there when it mattered most,” friend Brian Hanrahan says. 

Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Segundo graduated from Stratford High School in Houston, Texas and then went on to fulfill his childhood dream: Going to West Point. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics. 

During his time in the U.S. Army, Segundo was stationed at Fort Ord in California and Fort Lewis in Washington state, as well as in Cuba and Korea. He attained the rank of captain before leaving the U.S. Army Infantry and went on to become a successful entrepreneur with a wide-ranging career. He first went to work at investment consulting firm Wurts & Associates in Seattle, then hedge fund manager Strome Investment Management in Los Angeles before starting his own firm, Segundo and Co., in Santa Monica. 

In 2002, Segundo relocated to Tampa and founded Private Wealth Group LLC, providing investment management services to clients across the U.S. He also founded LoanHive LLC, a private lending company providing real estate-backed commercial loans, primarily to small businesses for working capital, expansion and startup costs. 

“Steve was a brilliant businessman and often shared his knowledge with my husband and me as we started our investment firms and new business ventures,” friend Michelle Griffin wrote in an online tribute to Segundo. “His love for life was infectious and we will miss him dearly.”

He met Joanna in a martial arts class in Los Angeles and the two never stopped sparring, the family says. She followed him to Tampa, where they married in 2003, and welcomed their two sons with “love, laughter and purpose.”

Stephen’s friends remember his energy, determination and curiosity about the world around him. He trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with his sons and had recently earned his blue belt. 

And even though his military career ended, Segundo never lost his heart for service, becoming a fixture in his community as a longtime member of both the Board of Fellows at the University of Tampa and swashbuckling pirate in Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

They were two roles he shared with friend CJ Steadman, Segundo’s partner in crime during countless Gasparilla parades, Minaret Society Balls at the University of Tampa and even sporting clays tournaments. 

“He was wild, fun, and full of life — his energy was absolutely infectious,” Steadman says. “When Steve walked into a room, his smile didn’t just light it up, it took over. He had this rare gift of making everyone feel seen and valued. When you were talking with him you felt like the most important person in the world.”

The University of Tampa always held a special place in Segundo’s heart. It was where his parents, Ernest and Connie, both graduated in 1956. In their honor, Segundo’s joined the university’s Board of Fellows in 2016 and remained a dedicated member until he died. A celebration of Segundo’s life was even held at the university in his memory. 

“Known for his bright, welcoming smile, Stephen brought genuine warmth to every event and gathering,” Shannon Brown, chair of the University of Tampa’s Board of Fellows, told the Business Observer. “Whether supporting a program, advancing a goal, mentoring a student or championing a fundraiser, he approached everything with the same enthusiasm and wholehearted commitment that defined him.”