TOP FINANCIAL ADVISERS
Bill Bullock left a job in corporate finance for something he calls more fulfilling.
His career as a financial adviser has made his life more interesting, Bullock said.
“There’s a lot more passion when people are dealing with their own money,” he said.
As part of a team with his wife Gayle Bullock, he manages $400 million, mostly for executives and business owners.
There are about 300 households managed by Bullock, all of whom have a minimum of $10 million in assets, he said.
The goals of clients vary from being conservative to aggressive. And when they don’t have goals, “We’ll try to drill down and give them goals,” he said.
His approach is to diversify among multiple investments, enlisting money managers to handle accounts.
Stocks, bonds and stakes in real estate investment trusts and limited partnerships are his most common holdings.
“People promote they can beat the market, but we’re playing with Mother Nature,” he said.
With an emphasis on preserving wealth, Bullock considers himself conservative.
He said he keeps the long term in perspective, believing consistent returns will come with stocks that pay dividends.
Bullock calls himself successful because he treats clients the way he wants to be treated.
But sometimes it’s not easy to understand what they want. They’ll say one thing and mean another, he said.
“We’re good listeners. But even if they tell me they can stomach something, we’re not going to let it happen,” he said.
Bullock and his wife have two kids, 17 and 19.
10. William Bullock
– Company: Merrill Lynch & Co.
– Location: Newport Beach
– Years in business: 22
– Education: bachelor’s degree, University of Southern California
