Louis J. Schwarz
The Bowtie Man Makes An Impact
There is no need for Louis J. Schwarz, Rockville, MD to introduce himself to his friends in the local community. His patented trademark – the bowtie – precedes him in making pre-introduction opportunities.
Speaking of his bowtie, he did throw friends off one day when he appeared at a recent event by wearing a necktie! “Change of pace,” he said.
As a Gallaudet freshman in the sixties, it was hard for the student body to overlook him. Despite having to learn sign language, a product of an oral atmosphere, Schwarz stood out among them by getting quickly involved in a range of campus activities, plus working for two years in a visible on-campus job – the Gallaudet post office.
Schwarz is a Certified Financial Planner who operates his own Schwarz Financial Concepts (SFC) in the same building as the National Association of the Deaf. SFC is a one-stop center that provides financial, tax preparation, retirement and investment planning. Many specialists in the diverse financial field could only work in one area but not in all areas thus making Schwarz a rarity among financial advisers and investment people.
He did not plan on becoming a financial planner. Majoring in Chemistry at Gallaudet, he worked as an chemist for the Federal government for 17 years. On the side he did tax preparation work for his clients, while selling insurance for the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf. Speaking of insurance, his father, an insurance man with his own brokerage, taught the son everything that is needed to know in that field.
“My father communicated with me in an unusual way – using his typewriter to pass notes back and forth with me, “Schwarz recalls.
While his side business grew up leaps and bounds over the years, he became increasingly disenchanted with his full time job as a chemist. “I worked in the pre-ADA days and discrimination against the disabled was blatant – the disabled employees had problems getting their needs met – interpreters, assistive devices, growth in promotion and opportunities,” Schwarz said.
At this point in the early eighties, Schwarz, more and more interested in the world of finances and insurance, took correspondence courses in financial planning and in investment counseling. He took and passed a seemingly endless series of examinations, all with flying colors. These exams were necessary before he could dare make a career move – to resign from the Federal government and to go into business for himself.
It was a trying moment for him – balancing a full time job, being a father to a growing family of three daughters, continuing his involvement in the community affairs let alone finding time to study. His commitment paid off – clients nowadays could make an appointment with him and see all these certificates hanging on the office wall.
And this is not all. He, along with two other deaf partners, is involved with the Metropolitan Washington Telecommunication Directory for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MWTDD) which publishes two directories – the well known RED BOOK, a local directory of TTY numbers in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area. The second directory is a new one – the YELLOW BOOK, which is a national reference directory of organizations and groups.
What does one hearing executive of a national investment house have to say about Schwarz’s achievements. “It is very difficult for a stockbroker to go independent and to set up his own office and build up a clientele base. If he is able to do it for an extended number of years, then he is a success.”
He has won many honors. To name a few, Schwarz has been listed, since 1989, as one of the Who’s Who in the Finance and Industry in the East. He also was honored with the NAD Knight of Flying Colors in 1992. And for his efforts in making 911 accessible to TTY users he won the Distinguished Service Award by the Maryland Association of the Deaf in 1993. Additionally he was twice honored with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Government Recognition Award for his voluntary public service (1988 & 1989).
Indeed, Schwarz is a success – as the nation’s first licensed general securities broker and also as the first independent registered investment counselor with a lifelong profound hearing loss and which uses ASL with clients. And also an enduring one – in both fields where attrition rate is high!
