Advisor

Blake Poole

I Believe We Have a Duty to Make the World Better

I have a decade of experience working with endowments, foundations and families. Across Florida, I help my clients make sense of an ever-changing world and use my experience to prepare them for the best as well as the worst.

What inspired you to join Bernstein?

I started my career advising families and foundations but grew disillusioned with the asset management industry as a whole. Regardless of size, most firms, unfortunately, resemble each other with their lack of transparency, accountability and ability to truly deliver on value. After taking a hiatus from finance to pursue other interests and business opportunities, I discovered Bernstein. Immediately, I was struck by the firm’s differentiated and integrated model, which by design allows us to continue to evolve while maintaining a singular focus on our clients and their complex needs. What more could you want from your place of work?

How have your values and personal background uniquely positioned you to work with your clients?

Shortly after our college graduation, my wife and I served as caretakers for a beloved family member who was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. This painful, yet informative experience lasted almost a decade. In this particular family member’s life, there was an absence of a proper financial plan. As a family, we experienced firsthand how the lack of a plan can create complex issues in regards to finances, healthcare and family cohesion. My wife and I had to make difficult decisions by trying to ascertain the afflicted family member’s wishes while also balancing their best interests. As a result, I am motivated to use these unnecessary experiences for good to prevent the same situation from happening to others. My wish is to use the lessons I’ve gleaned from this personal experience to help protect my clients and their families.

What passions do you pursue outside of work?

Outside of work, I love helping others and especially those who are less fortunate than myself. Today, the world is full of inequality in terms of resources and opportunities. I believe we have a duty to fill those voids. Some ways in which I try my best to improve the world around me include volunteering at a meal service for a homeless shelter on the weekends or advocating for better educational outcomes in underserved neighborhoods. I am passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of our community members. My wife and I also enjoy taking advantage of all the great state and national parks that New England has to offer. We’ve been slowly working our way through a list of best hikes with our dog, Roux.