Center Focus 1-16 ALL.pdf Center Focus May 2014 | Page 5

Tom would go on to serve as a Navy dentist at the
Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro CA, for two years.
Tom later owned a private practice for 32 years, but
before he retired, he realized he had an obligation to
provide for his retirement and for the education of
their seven children. So, being a renaissance man, he
decided to enroll at the University of Southern
California in order to become a Certified Financial
Planner (CFP).
Although his original intentions were purely personal,
he had the opportunity to start a wealth management
firm, Keller and Coad, which has morphed into First
Foundation Advisors, an investment management,
wealth planning, consulting, trust and banking firm
with multi-billions of dollars under management.
When Cynthia was elected County Supervisor in 1999,
Tom retired in order to volunteer in her office. Now,
all children have university degrees (the majority have
post graduate degrees and all good jobs) and Tom and
Cynthia have a comfortable retirement.

Q&A

What are your hobbies?
Cynthia: travel, painting watercolors and
reading mystery novels in Spanish.
Tom: travel, building museum-quality
model ships and cross-country rally racing
antique cars.
Looking back, what do you value the most
from your time at Dowling and St. Joe’s? What
should students be aware of today?
Cynthia: study methods, how to be
outgoing, lifelong friends, values.
Tom: Dowling Catholic students today have
been given the opportunity learn great moral
values and develop integrity. More than
anything else, these virtues will lead to success
and happiness. Don’t waste this opportunity!

During these years Cynthia, with strong guidance and
support from Tom, had the most important job in the
family – raising their seven children. As the children
grew into adults, she completed a Doctorate in
Education when she was 50, became a self-help author,
was a finalist in the President’s Teacher in Space
competition, was a col