Christian "Ron" Wintour
'08, B.B.A. in Finance and B.A. in Political Science

How did you decide to attend Hofstra?

When I was graduating from high school I was accepted into all of the college that I applied to including Hofstra. My mom graduated from here so it was more of a family decision to stay closer to home.

How did you get into finance?

I really loved studying day trading. I read one book after another then I ran a miniature hedge fund. I did well and decided that I wanted to get into the institutional side. At that time my major was undeclared so I made the decision to major in finance to learn more about the field. To this day I absolutely love finance in general.

When you were a kid growing up did you want to work on Wall Street?

Actually I wanted to be a neurosurgeon. I worked in the Dolan DNA center in DNA technology when I was 16 years old. After watching the discovery channel I realized that I no longer wanted to become a surgeon.

I realized that I was always fascinated by the Wall Street Journal. As a kid I would open up the paper and see all of the numbers. I didn't know what it meant but I was still interested.

Why did you decide to double major in finance and political science?

I remember being in Monroe Hall listening to Secretary Chertoff from the Department of Homeland Security speak during an Educate '08 event. After that day, I knew I wanted to learn more about politics and how it affects society.

What were your original plans after graduation?

I wanted to go into investment banking. Before graduation I was working at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. in their private wealth management division and for a law firm developing financial real estate models. When I was about to graduate the market really took a bad turn.

What made you start your own business?

I decided that since I was already doing consulting I would start my own business. I started networking and spoke with my mother who also has a business. I established my corporate advisory division which deals with structuring and restructuring companies, capital raising and acquisition advisory. The most active of the components of the division are structuring and restructuring. I work with C.E.O's and executive management to restructure businesses that are in trouble and to structure new companies. People are still starting businesses but they don't understand how to structure it in a sound manner.

I found my niche because accountants don't work with the structuring aspect of businesses. They focus more on the numbers and books. Then there are the lawyers who make sure that the legal structure is in place. But what about the financial management? So I decided that if I can't find the job I'll build it myself and see where it goes. That was my path from May until September 2008.

The company evolved to include capital raising because people need business plans but they also need someone to represent them. So we became a conduit between banks and established relationships with loan brokers who refer clients that they reject to my company. We now deal with businesses valued at $1 to $3 million on average.

Since September 2008 I started to get back to my roots: investment banking, corporate advisory and wealth management. I am in the process of filing with the state of New York to have my own firm as an investment advisory firm. Even though it's not a popular time to do so, we manage people's money and assist with 401k plans.

Now that you've been self-employed do you think you could go back to the corporate world?

I don't know. It would depend on the position. Owning your own business is one of the hardest things you will do but it is also the most fulfilling. I just read a quote from Warren Buffet that says "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to lose it." I'm really building my business and relationships so to walk away from it all would be difficult.

What was your most memorable course at Zarb?

Networking capital with Dr. Nancy White. Believe it or not but it was the class that made the most profound impact on my decision to start a business. If I hadn't taken that course I don't know what I would have done after graduation.

The course was important because it showed you the every day workings of a business. Knowing how much excess capital a business has to have to stay afloat is invaluable knowledge because if you're not aware of that you will be out of business quickly. Finance 101, financial markets, options and futures were all necessary material but I gained knowledge about the day-to-day operations from the networking capital course.

Are you a member of any of the student organizations at the Zarb School?

Financial Managers Association which was a natural move. I was working two jobs while going to school so I could not be as active on campus as I would have liked.

Are you considering going to graduate school?

Yes but not because of the economic environment. I would really like to attend law school for corporate law so I can get a better knowledge of the restructuring and acquisition process. Then my company would facilitate those services. I see a real potential for me in that field.

What advice would you give a last year undergraduate student at Hofstra?

It is not as black-and-white as you may think. Some think that when you come out of college you have to work your way up the ladder from the ground up. That's not true. Finance students should learn a craft or a trade. Students can take the series 65 exam and become registered investment advisors. Once you graduate you can command a higher salary as well as obtain clients on your own. You're required to have your license held by a firm but it is one step closer to your goals. You have to take command of your own career.