• Alternative Investments

Get to Know Travis Finkel of PPB Capital Partners…

Cliff diving? Check.

Cake or ice cream? He found a dessert loophole!

Since joining PPB Capital Partners, Travis Finkel has been a model of efficiency, helping our wealth advisor clients execute new investments and subscriptions properly.

That only scratches the surface of what Travis is all about.

 

Name: Travis Finkel
Title: Associate, Fund Operations
Hometown: New Hyde Park, New York
College: Penn State University
Years at PPB: 1

1. Think about your favorite teacher or professor from high school or college. What was it about them that made an impression on you?
   My high school Italian teacher, Signora Iaconis, was encouraging, kind and expected a lot from her students. She recognized that I excelled in her class and would always call on me unprompted. That forced me to continue to grow my skills and enabled me to be a leader in the class.
2. What did you find to be the biggest surprise of working with alternative investments?
   Alternative investments have a reputation of being difficult. They can be complex, but I’ve worked in the industry for five years and take pride in working through those complexities. I enjoy helping clients realize they aren’t as difficult as they are made out to be.
3. What was the biggest influence on you working in the alternative investments industry?
   As I graduated from college, my passion was entrepreneurship and venture capital. I learned about venture capital and private equity while working for Penn State’s Eberly College of Science as a marketing intern to promote Penn State’s Startup Week. Since then, I have wanted to be involved in the alternatives industry.
4. How would you describe your job to a classroom of 4^th graders?
   When people get paid at work, they use that money to make more money, which is what we call “investing.” My job is to help make sure those people are making the most money possible.

5. What is a non-work-related goal you are working toward right now?
   I am trying to consistently shoot in the 70s for a round of golf.

6. Describe an experience that took your breath away or left you speechless.
   Cliff jumping from a height of 40 or 50 feet in Colorado. I was speechless from fear  when I looked down. Once I stepped off the cliff it felt like time had stopped …  and then my stomach dropped more than it ever had on any roller coaster. I think it’s pretty cool to say I’ve done it.

7. If PPB Capital Partners had a mascot, what would it be?
   A Nittany Lion, of course!

8. When in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up?
   A professional baseball player, playing shortstop in the Major Leagues.

9. Which household chore do you hate the most?
   Vacuuming the floors.

10. You can only choose one dessert. Are you taking ice cream or cake?
    Carvel ice cream cake … so I guess  it’s both.

11. If you could only have 3 apps on your phone for the rest of your life, which ones are you keeping?
    Candy Crush, YouTube and Spotify.

12. You have 1 hour and a limitless credit card for a shopping spree at a store of your choice. At which store would it be?
    Dick’s Sporting Goods. It has all the clothes, sneakers, golf equipment, workout equipment, hats and sunglasses I could ever need.

13. What is the most irrational fear you have?
    Getting attacked by a shark while swimming in the ocean.

14. If you are making the perfect pizza, what toppings are you adding?
    White pizza with meatballs and red pepper flakes.

15. If you were an Olympic athlete, in which sport/event would you compete?
    The 100-meter dash. It’s the most popular event in the summer Olympics—arguably the most popular Olympic event of all. It would be great to be the “World’s Fastest Man.”